A new container cargo ferry service linking Karaikal in India with the northern Sri Lankan ports of Kankesanthurai (KKS) and Trincomalee is scheduled to begin in late August or early September, opening a regular maritime freight route across the Palk Strait.
The service will be run by Chennai-based Connect Maritime LLP through its Sri Lankan agent, IndSri Ferry Services Lanka Pvt Ltd. The company says it will offer both Full Container Load (FCL) and Less than Container Load (LCL) transport, with weekly scheduled sailings, competitive rates and secure cargo handling.
Operations are to be carried out using the M/V Beypore Sultan, a container feeder vessel built in 2023 with a capacity of 81 TEUs and a deadweight of 1,600 tonnes. The ship is expected to run on a seven-day rotation between the two countries.
A provisional schedule released by the operator begins on 1 September, with weekly departures from Karaikal arriving at Kankesanthurai, and further voyages planned through the end of December to keep the service uninterrupted. Freight charges are indicated at between US$650 and US$675 per container, with prepaid bookings required. Container Freight Station clearance will be handled through Pondicherry, and the first three days of demurrage will be free of charge.
Ahead of the launch, the company held an awareness session for importers and other stakeholders in Jaffna to explain the proposed service. The dedicated freight link is distinct from the passenger ferry between KKS and India’s southern coast, which has operated only intermittently since its 2023 revival, and could give traders in the Northern Province a faster, cheaper route to Indian markets.
