A passenger ferry service from Bahrain to India is expected to be resumed in April, after a gap of almost two years.
Riyadh-based Tamak Establishment is currently finalising an agreement with the Kerala government and the shipping authorities in India and the Gulf to start the service which can take up to 1,000 people. The first passenger ferry service between the Gulf and India was launched from Bahrain in June 2001 by Tylos Ferry, a division of Bahrain-based Sanad Travel. The company, however, was forced to stop operating the ferry M V Al Salam Taba after a few months, as it failed to get a sea-worthiness certificate. The liner has 280 first class berths, 560 second class berths and 300 Pullman seats.