Corporation advances plan to shift RoRo operations from KSINC to new SPV
The Kochi Corporation has taken a fresh administrative step towards creating a municipal company to operate the city’s RoRo (roll-on/roll-off) ferry service, more than eight years after the vessels began plying between Fort Kochi and Vypeen. The finance standing committee on Friday approved a draft proposal for a nine-member board and recommended the name Kerala Waterways Ltd for the proposed special purpose vehicle (SPV), subject to further approvals.
The move envisions shifting the operation of the existing RoRo vessels from the Kerala Shipping and Inland Navigation Corporation (KSINC) to the new entity. KSINC has been running the service on behalf of the corporation since the service was inaugurated in April 2018.
- Board composition: The committee endorsed a nine-member board that will include the Mayor and the Corporation Secretary alongside an expert member, according to MG Aristotle, a member of the finance standing committee.
- Approval process: The draft proposal and the names of the nominated board members will next be tabled before the corporation council. If the council gives its nod, the proposal will then be forwarded to the state government for clearance.
- Rationale: The corporation said KSINC, a state-owned agency, has not been able to generate a profit from operating the RoRo service, prompting the renewed effort to establish a dedicated operator under municipal control.
The proposed governance structure places the Kochi Corporation at the centre of decision-making for the ferry service, while preserving the need for state-level approval before the new company can assume operations. The corporation’s plan revives an earlier intent: when the RoRo service was launched in April 2018, the corporation had envisaged forming an SPV and permitted KSINC to operate the vessels on a temporary basis until that entity was established. That SPV was not formed at the time and KSINC continued to administer the service.
"Once the corporation council approves the draft proposal, it will be forwarded to the state govt for approval," MG Aristotle said.
Mayor V K Minimol has indicated that the RoRo vessels would be operated by the SPV prior to the Council Carnival, though the source report did not specify the exact date on which the proposed company would take over or the detailed financial and operational terms of the transfer. The proposal is also being advanced alongside studies carried out by Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) and other agencies assessing waterways and urban mobility, the corporation said.
| Item | Current status |
|---|---|
| Operator | Kerala Shipping and Inland Navigation Corporation (KSINC) |
| Proposed operator | Kerala Waterways Ltd (proposed SPV) |
| Board size (proposed) | 9 members (including Mayor, Corporation Secretary, an expert) |
| Next steps | Corporation council consideration → State government approval |
Local stakeholders have watched the RoRo service closely since its inauguration. The ferry link between Fort Kochi and Vypeen is a high-visibility municipal service that combines passenger conveyance with vehicular movement across the backwaters, and any change in operator has implications for fares, maintenance, timetables and staffing. The corporation’s statement highlighting KSINC’s inability to make the operation profitable underlines the fiscal pressures municipal services face when running waterborne transport without a clear commercial model.
Formation of a municipal SPV is a common administrative route used by local bodies to ring-fence operations, attract specialised management and clarify financial responsibilities. The Kochi proposal preserves municipal control over policy while ensuring state concurrence before handing over operations, a dual oversight mechanism that the corporation appears to favour.
Until the corporation council considers the draft proposal and the state government grants approval, KSINC will continue to operate the RoRo vessels on the corporation’s behalf. The details of staff transfer, asset ownership, revenue-sharing or subsidies, and any transitional arrangement were not provided in the report and will be determinative once the council and the state examine the plan.
For daily commuters and motorists who rely on the Fort Kochi–Vypeen link, the proposed change is likely to be most closely watched for its potential effect on service reliability and fares. The corporation and the state will have to clarify operational and financial terms before the SPV can assume responsibility for the RoRo service.
