Meet the 'Nautika Prride', the biggest high-speed ferry in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Nautika, one of the leading high-speed ferry services across the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, is gearing up for the launch of the Nautika Prride (also spelt Nautika Pride), set to be its fastest and best catamaran yet.

The Nautika Prride is expected to become a major addition to Nautika's (formerly Sealink) fleet, and is expected to join the ferry operator's inter-island route across the archipelago, marking a major boost for maritime tourism in the region.

Also touted as the largest and most luxurious ferry in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the new 400-seat vessel is fully built in India, and is capable of operating at a speed of upto 24 knots.

Developed for stability in the open sea, the next-generation passenger vessel has been certified by the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS), in line with international maritime guidelines for safety systems, evacuation protocols, fire safety mechanisms, and operational safeguards in high-speed passenger vessels.

Ferry services in the archipelago typically take passengers across three major spots, which includes Sri Vijaya Puram (formerly Port Blair) as the starting point and two others that roughly form a loop back to it.

The two other spots are Swaraj Dweep (formerly Havelock Island), one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Shaheed Dweep (formerly Neil Island).

However, vessel operators also have single journeys to either island from Sri Vijaya Puram.

With a stated aim to make journeys as pleasant as their destinations, the double-hull catamaran features spacious seating and interiors across four travel classes—Luxury, Royal, VIP, and Business.

The vessel also features two onboard cafés and viewing decks, in addition to seating areas, onboard dining facilities, and more.

“Nautika Prride reflects the future of maritime travel in India—faster, safer, more comfortable, and globally benchmarked. With this vessel, we are introducing a completely new standard of passenger experience to the Andaman Islands," explained Anoop Kumar, Director, Nautika.