Operational performance of passengers ferry service

Abstract

India has a vast network of Inland waterways in the form of rivers, canals, backwaters, creeks, and a lengthy coastline accessible via seas and oceans. It is one of the most affordable modes of transport and uses natural tracks for commuting (Times, 2016). Cargo is being moved annually by Inland Water Transport (IWT), a fuel-efficient and environment-friendly mode, besides these organized operations by mechanized vessels, passenger ferry boats of various capacities also operate in various rivers and canals, and a substantial quantum of passengers are transported in this sector as well (IWAI, 2012). India has several cities that offer passenger ferry transportation. Here are some notable cities in India with passenger ferry services: Mumbai, Kolkata, Kochi, Panaji, Visakhapatnam, etc. Here a case of Mumbai City has been studied. Mumbai District is situated on the West Coast of India. It is surrounded on three sides by water, the open Arabian Sea to the West and South and Thane Creek to the East. To the North, it is bordered by the Mumbai (Suburban) District (Census of India, 2011). The western and eastern coast of the city consists of creeks and harbors that provide navigable waters for operations of passenger ferry service and connects peri-urban areas to Mumbai city. Private operators provide quick and cost-effective passenger ferry services connecting to Mumbai city every year, whereas other infrastructure needs are implemented by Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB). It has also proven to be an environmentally friendly transport mode among others. These services also play a vital role in promoting tourism since it connects areas such as Gateway of India, Elephanta caves, Alibaug, Amusement parks, etc. Along with road and rail projects, the importance of water transport projects has been upfront from the government side. Steps for the improvement of the water transport system by building new jetties and introducing new vessels with better safety measures have been proposed and initiated. Passenger ferry also has a huge potential in promoting transport sustainability and resilience. Thus, there is a need to look at passenger ferry services from a quality service provider from an operations and policies point of view that will help retain and define the existing and proposed water transport routes among other modes of transportation. As there is no established framework or procedure to evaluate water transport in India, the study shall be based on evaluating existing ferry routes within Mumbai Municipal Boundary. This research shall be conducted on understanding the user’s and operators’ perspectives on the existing quality of ferry service operations, and methods to evaluate water transport in a city to make it more viable for existing routes. The proposed evaluation procedure in this research can be followed for other ferry routes in India depending on the locations and needs of the operators. Currently, based on the Level of Service (LOS) concept there is no evaluation mechanism for assessing the quality and performance of services on various ferry routes. As the LOS concept is widely used to evaluate other modes of transportation, especially roadways and public transport, it was widely thought that the level of service idea could be extended to ferry services as well, though with some modifications given the location and aim of the framework. Inferences drawn from this research study shall offer suggestions from operators’ point of view and based on the LOS analysis evaluation framework will be proposed. The study will also provide parameter measures on which ferry route performances can be evaluated using single or multiple parameters. This research shall help policymakers, academicians, decision–makers etc. to appraise the ferry services and recommend possible interventions and proposals. The policymakers and decision-makers will have a clear understanding of the viability of passenger ferry services from an operational viewpoint. The study will also aid in comprehending the city’s transportation requirements as well as the investments that should be made to the study area’s transportation sector.