 "Cochin Shipyard receives cruise vessel order from Antara River Cruises")
Heritage River Journeys Private Limited, operating as Antara River Cruises, has signed a construction agreement with Hooghly Cochin Shipyard Limited (Hooghly CSL)—a wholly owned subsidiary of Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL)—to build two inland luxury cruise vessels. These ships are intended for deployment on the Brahmaputra River.
Antara River Cruises currently operates a fleet of river cruise vessels along the Ganga, Padma, and Brahmaputra river systems. Its flagship journey, the Ganga Vilas, traverses more than 3,200 kilometres and 27 rivers, covering routes across the Gangetic plains, the Sundarbans, and the Brahmaputra Valley. It is considered the world’s longest river cruise route.
Fleet and network expansion across Indian rivers
Antara’s current fleet includes the MV Ganges Voyager, MV Ganges Voyager II, MV Ganga Vilas, MV Bengal Ganga, MV Nauka Vilas, and four catamarans. Its cruises serve destinations such as Varanasi, Kolkata, Odisha, Dibrugarh, and Guwahati, and also cover scenic areas near Bhitarkanika National Park.
According to a stock exchange filing by CSL, “Once these vessels are put into operation, India—with its large network of rivers and waterways—will secure a prominent position on the global river cruise map, opening a gateway for the country to generate significant revenue from the largely untapped river cruise market.”
First-of-its-kind vessels under IV Rules 2022
The agreement includes a construction contract for the first vessel and a Letter of Intent (LOI) for the second. The signing ceremony featured Shri Sanil Peter, CEO of Hooghly CSL, and Shri Raj Singh, Founder and Chairman of Antara River Cruises.
“It will also mark a historic milestone in Indian maritime history—being the pioneer luxury river cruise vessels to be classified under the Inland Vessels (IV) Rules, 2022, and the first to operate on the Brahmaputra River,” CSL added.
Future routes: Kerala, Kashmir and Goa
Earlier this year, Antara River Cruises announced plans to expand its operations to three additional inland waterways over the next five years: the Kerala backwaters, the Jhelum River in Kashmir, and interior river routes in Goa.
CSL background and maritime legacy
Cochin Shipyard Limited, headquartered in Kochi, Kerala, was established in 1972 and functions under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. The company specialises in shipbuilding and repair, including commercial vessels, naval warships, and passenger carriers.