Hooghly CSL & Antara: Luxury Cruises for Brahmaputra

Hooghly Cochin Shipyard Ltd. (Hooghly CSL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Cochin Shipyard Ltd., has signed a contract with Antara River Cruises—operated by Heritage River Journeys—to build two luxury river cruise vessels for operations on the Brahmaputra River. This marks a key milestone in the growth of India’s inland waterway tourism sector.

The agreement includes a confirmed order for the first vessel and a Letter of Intent (LoI) for the second. The signing ceremony was attended by Sanil Peter, CEO of Hooghly CSL, Raj Singh, Founder and Chairman of Antara River Cruises, and Madhu S. Nair, Chairman and Managing Director of Cochin Shipyard Ltd.

The project aims to combine world-class shipbuilding with premium riverine hospitality, supporting the Government of India’s ‘Make in India’ initiative. The new vessels are expected to set benchmarks in luxury, safety, and sustainability in inland cruising.

This collaboration not only promotes domestic shipbuilding capabilities but also highlights India's growing expertise in constructing cruise vessels to global standards. It underscores the shared commitment of both organisations to expand luxury cruise tourism and drive economic development along the Brahmaputra River.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.