Cochin Shipyard Subsidiary Secures Order for Landmark Luxury Cruise Vessels

Cochin, June 23, 2025 – Heritage River Journeys Private Limited, operating under the Brand name Antara River Cruises, India’s premier Luxury River Cruise operator, has entered into a construction contract with Hooghly Cochin Shipyard Limited (Hooghly CSL) — a wholly owned subsidiary of Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) — for the construction of two Luxury River Cruise vessels to be operated on the Brahmaputra River.

Antara River Cruises, renowned for its immersive voyages along the Ganga, Padma, and Brahmaputra river systems, currently operates a fleet of bespoke luxury cruise vessels that sail South Asia’s most iconic rivers. Its flagship vessel, Ganga Vilas, offers the longest, most picturesque river cruise in the world. This epic journey, famously showcased by the Limca Book of Records, covers over 3,200 kilometres across 27 rivers, and traverses diverse regions including the Gangetic plains, the Sundarbans, and the Brahmaputra Valley.

The Agreement for construction of the first vessel and a Letter of Intent (LOI) for the second were signed by Shri Sanil Peter, CEO, Hooghly CSL, and Shri Raj Singh, Founder and Chairman, Antara River Cruises, in the presence of Madhu S. Nair, Chairman and Managing Director, Cochin Shipyard Limited, along with senior officials from CSL and Antara.

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Read Also : Cochin Shipyard Subsidiary Secures Order for Landmark Luxury Cruise Vessels

Once these vessels are put into operation, India - with its large network of rivers and waterways - will secure a prominent position on the global river cruise map, opening a gateway for the country to generate significant revenue from the largely untapped river cruise market.

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It will also mark a Historic Milestone in Indian Maritime history — being the pioneer luxury river cruise vessels to be classified under the Inland Vessels (IV) Rules, 2022, and the first to operate on the Brahmaputra River. This contract represents the synergy of World-Class shipbuilding Expertise and high-end riverine hospitality, & reinforces a shared commitment to the growth of luxury river cruise tourism in India. Aimed to deliver culturally immersive, sustainable sailing experiences along the country’s iconic waterways, this step is envisaged to be a game changer in the history of Luxury River cruising.

The new vessels promise to set new benchmarks for luxury, safety, and sustainability in inland navigation and reflect a strong push towards the Government of India’s ‘Make in India’initiative and showcases India’s growing capacity to design and construct globally competitive cruise vessels of international standards.

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