Kolkata: GRSE-made passenger-cum-cargo ocean-going ferry ‘MV MA Lisha’, the first such ship built for exports to a Latin American country by any Indian Defence PSU, was flagged off on Thursday from its facility on the banks of the Hooghly river here.

The ship, designed and built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd, will go to Chennai where she will be loaded onto a semi-submersible vessel ‘MV Sun Rise’, for her long voyage to Guyana.

Flagging off MV MA Lisha, GRSE chairman and managing director Commodore (retd) P R Hari said, “I compliment the design, quality assurance and project management teams for their stellar efforts in ensuring timely completion of the project.” The contract for the construction of the ocean-going vessel was signed between the Transport and Harbours Department of the Government of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana on January 13, 2021, after the Kolkata-based warship builder bagged the export contract for the civilian shipbuilding project through competitive bidding, a GRSE official said.

The ship was launched on June 15, 2022, and within six months, GRSE achieved the ‘Technical Acceptance’ of the vessel on December 16, he said.

The 70-metre-long vessel with a displacement of 1,700 tonnes is propelled by two diesel engines and can achieve a maximum speed of 15 knots.

The ship can accommodate 294 passengers, including 14 crew members, along with 14 cars, two trucks, and 14 containers and cargo.