States » SouthPosted at: Jun 24 2025 7:36PM


Hooghly CSL secures construction order for two Luxury Cruise Vessels

Kochi, June 24 (UNI) Heritage River Journeys Private Limited, operating under the Brand name Antara River Cruises, India’s premier Luxury River Cruise operator, has entered into a construction contract with Hooghly Cochin Shipyard Limited (Hooghly CSL) -- a wholly owned subsidiary of Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) -- for the construction of two Luxury River Cruise vessels to be operated on the Brahmaputra River.
Antara River Cruises, renowned for its immersive voyages along the Ganga, Padma, and Brahmaputra river systems, currently operates a fleet of bespoke luxury cruise vessels that sail South Asia’s most iconic rivers.
Its flagship vessel, Ganga Vilas, offers the longest, most picturesque river cruise in the world. This epic journey, famously showcased by the Limca Book of Records, covers over 3,200 kilometres across 27 rivers, and traverses diverse regions including the Gangetic plains, the Sundarbans, and the Brahmaputra Valley.
The Agreement for construction of the first vessel and a Letter of Intent (LOI) for the second were signed by Sanil Peter, CEO, Hooghly CSL, and Raj Singh, Founder and Chairman, Antara River Cruises, in the presence of Madhu S. Nair, Chairman and Managing Director, Cochin Shipyard Limited, along with senior officials from CSL and Antara.
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.
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.
This contract represents the synergy of World-Class shipbuilding Expertise and high-end riverine hospitality, & reinforces a shared commitment to the growth of luxury river cruise tourism in India.
Aimed to deliver culturally immersive, sustainable sailing experiences along the country’s iconic waterways, this step is envisaged to be a game changer in the history of Luxury River cruising.
The new vessels promise to set new benchmarks for luxury, safety, and sustainability in inland navigation and reflect a strong push towards the Government of India’s ‘Make in India’ initiative and showcases India’s growing capacity to design and construct globally competitive cruise vessels of international standards.
UNI DS GNK
Tags: #Hooghly CSL secures construction order for two Luxury Cruise Vessels
More News

AP: Arrangements for foundation ceremony for 'Akhanda Godavari' inspected

25 Jun 2025 | 1:04 AM

Rajahmundry, June 24 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Minister for Tourism Kandula Durgesh, accompanied by the Police, Revenue and Tourism officials, today inspected the arrangements being made for the laying foundation stone programme for the ‘Akhanda Godavari’ project.

see more..

Telangana CM dares KCR for debate in Assembly on Godavari-Banakacharla project

25 Jun 2025 | 12:57 AM

Hyderabad, June 24 (UNI) Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy this evening challenged the BRS chief and Opposition leader K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) for a debate in the legislative assembly on the Godavari- Banakacharla irrigation project proposed by the Andhra Pradesh government.

see more..

Go for ax-4 launch tomorrow, all ready, crew enters ISS: NASA

25 Jun 2025 | 12:56 AM

Chennai, June 24 (UNI) NASA has given its go ahead for tomorrow's Axiom-4 mission launch to ISS piloted by Indian Astronaut as the 4-member crew entered the ISS.

see more..

Telangana Police awarded certificate for outstanding passport verification performance

25 Jun 2025 | 12:20 AM

New Delhi/Hyderabad, June 24 (UNI)The Telangana Police have been awarded a prestigious Certificate of Recognition by the Ministry of External Affairs for being one of the best-performing police forces in the country in passport application verification for the financial year 2024–2025.

see more..

Hyd: Private school bus driver gets two-days jail for drunken driving

25 Jun 2025 | 12:16 AM

Hyderabad, June 24 (UNI) A 35-year-old school bus driver who was caught during a drunken driving check recently was convicted and sentenced to two- days imprisonment here today.

see more..