Latest news with #AntaraRiverCruises
The Hindu
19 hours ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Hooghly CSL to construct two luxury cruise vessels
Hooghly Cochin Shipyard Limited (Hooghly CSL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Cochin Shipyard Limited, will construct two luxury river cruise vessels to be operated on the Brahmaputra by Heritage River Journeys Private Limited, operating under the brand name Antara River Cruises. The luxury cruise operator has entered into a construction contract with Hooghly CSL as part of the project. The agreement for the construction of the first vessel and a Letter of Intent (LOI) for the second were signed by Sanil Peter, chief executive officer, 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, according to a release. The contract represents the synergy of world-class shipbuilding expertise and high-end riverine hospitality while reinforcing a shared commitment to the growth of luxury river cruise tourism in the country. The new vessels promise to set new benchmarks for luxury, safety, and sustainability in inland navigation and reflect a strong push towards the Union government's 'Make in India' initiative and showcases India's growing capacity to design and construct globally competitive cruise vessels of international standards, the release said.
Business Standard
a day ago
- Business
- Business Standard
Cochin Shipyard arm secures order to build two luxury river cruise vessels
Cochin Shipyard announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Hooghly Cochin Shipyard (Hooghly CSL), has secured a notable order from Heritage River Journeys, which operates under the brand Antara River Cruises. As per the companys classification, the value of a Notable contract ranges from ₹100 crore to ₹250 crore. The contract entails the construction of two luxury river cruise vessels for deployment on the Brahmaputra River, aiming to boost premium inland waterway tourism in the region. While the agreement for the first vessel has been signed, a Letter of Intent (LoI) has been issued for the second. Antara River Cruises is known for offering immersive luxury voyages across the Ganga, Padma, and Brahmaputra river systems. Its flagship vessel, Ganga Vilas, holds the record for the worlds longest river cruise, covering over 3,200 km across 27 rivers. The journey has been featured in the Limca Book of Records. Cochin Shipyard clarified that the order does not constitute a related-party transaction and that none of its promoters or group companies have any interest in the contracting entity. Cochin Shipyard is engaged in shipbuilding & ship repair. As of 31 March 2025, the Government of India held 67.91% of the total voting rights in the company. The company's consolidated net profit advanced 10.9% to Rs 287.19 crore on a 36.7% rise in revenue from operations to Rs 1,757.65 crore in Q4 FY25 over Q4 FY24. Shares of Cochin Shipyard fell 2.33% to Rs 2,179.10 on the BSE.
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Business Standard
2 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
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.
The Hindu
25-04-2025
- The Hindu
At the Bhitarkanika National Park, set sail and spot a crocodile
As we settle down comfortably on the sun deck of our luxury catamaran, the MV Brahmani, we hear the shouts of the boat captain from down below. 'Crocodile! Crocodile relaxing!' He almost sounds too jubilant for having spotted the mostly terror-inducing, yet fascinating reptile. We look out over the waters on our right and sure enough, spot our first crocodile. Much like us, the crocodile is sunning itself on the muddy banks of the river. The second largest mangrove system in India after the Sunderbans, the Bhitarkanika National Park, Odisha is home to many crocodiles in the creeks and estuaries of the Brahmani-Baitarani river systems, as well as migratory birds, and a host of other flora and fauna. While the park is accessible by road, we are exploring the region by water — on a luxury catamaran by Antara River Cruises. The vessels come fully furnished with two bedrooms, bathrooms and a dining space in front, in addition to the sun deck furnished with comfortable chairs. The boats are best suited for groups of four (priced at ₹25,000 per person for two nights inclusive of meals) who can be accomodated in the two bedrooms. Locals from the area staff the fleet of four catamarans, and are only too pleased to chat about their favourite crocodile sightings. 'There is one 23-foot crocodile that goes for a long morning swim. I hope all of you get to see it,' one of them cheerily informs us. Declared a Ramsar site (a wetland of national importance) in 2002, we learn that there are around 1,700 saltwater crocodiles that were counted in the last census which took place in January 2024. The dense mangrove here comprises 82 species and host birds through the year which include purple herons, night herons, pied harriers, grey-headed lapwings, eagles and owls. 'There is something here for everyone,' says Sanghamitra Jena, who manages operations. 'Whether you are here to birdwatch and take pictures, explore the wildlife, walk through the forests, or simply laze around on the catamaran and enjoy setting sail,' she says. As we take in the calm waters and orange hued skies at sunset, we remain alert, for sightings of more crocodiles on the mudflats. We also spot herds of spotted deer frolicking by the banks, while also keeping an eye out for possible otter and dolphin sightings. When the catamaran finally anchors for the night, we are immensely thankful for two things — the air conditioning onboard given the sweltering early summer heat, and bhetki fish on the menu for dinner. Bhetki, which is barramundi or Asian sea bass, is a popular fixture on the menu and all meals onboard feature fresh catch and local delicacies, including the popular Odisha dessert chennapooda. Three meals are served onboard, at a cosy dining space in front of the rooms and the menu has the usual favourites — eggs, toast, poha, parathas for breakfast, roti, subzi, meat and vegetables for lunch as well as continental options such as grilled fish and mashed potatoes. The prospect of spotting more crocodiles has us cautiously excited the following day, as we set sail and anchor near the entrance of the Bhitarkanika National Park which houses the Crocodile Hatchery and Rearing Programme. It is here that we truly get to experience the thick of it all; walking directly into the mangrove forest by navigating a wooden bridge that has been built to act as a living observatory deck. We hear bird calls, keep looking up at the mangrove canopy above us, and clutch the railings every time we take a look at what lies below. Unfortunately, the crocodiles remain elusive; none of them has ventured out to see a party of 10 cautiously walk overhead. At our destination however, there are a number of baby crocodiles in enclosures, swimming happily or sunning themselves. The Saltwater Crocodile Research and Conservation Project was established at Dangmal with the objective of rearing and releasing crocodiles into the wild, and there are separate enclosures showing the life-cycle of a crocodile from the hatching stage. The park is also home to a rare albino crocodile, named Gori, and we learn that efforts to mate her have proven to be futile. Gori now lives by herself in an enclosure, an independent queen. With many little creeks and estuaries, we go on to explore the mangrove system in a smaller boat, through a slow, two-hour journey. Armed with binoculars, we spot birds in the branches of trees, and much to our delight, manage to catch sight of a baby crocodile peacefully sunning itself on a small branch, before gracefully turning over and falling straight into the water with a little splash. The catamarans see a bulk of their tourist guests between October and February. 'From May 1 to the end of July, the park is closed because that is the time the crocodiles typically breed. We see an influx of birdwatchers and wildlife enthusiasts start coming in during August and later,' Sanghamitra says, as she guides us back to our catamarans. After a day of exploring the mangroves in the searing heat and unabating humidity, we thankfully take the shikanji, a cold lemon flavoured drink we are welcomed back onboard with. Afternoons during the cruise are best spent in the cool confines of the cabin, on the sun deck, or for the more adventurous travellers, a jungle walk at Shikhar Kothi, where a canopy of leaves and branches is a welcome shield from the heat. We are told that spotting snakes including pythons are quite common in the area. When the catamaran once again sets sail during sunset, the views do not feel repetitive or tiresome. There is a calmness that settles on the water as the skies turn orange and then a slow inky blue. We once again keep our eyes trained on the mudflats, often pausing to admire the smaller creeks and channels that we sail by. This languorous cruise is best enjoyed on the sun deck, binoculars in one hand for croc-spotting, and a plate of evening pakodas and tea in the other. The writer was at the Antara River Cruises, Bhitarkanika on invitation from RARE India
