Panaji, Oct 6 (IANS): The tourism industry in Tami Nadu has got a helping hand from Goa, with a private shipyard in the coastal state delivering two ferry boats to the southern state to transport tourists from the Kanya Kumari jetty to the Vivekananda Rock.

According to a statement issued by Goa-based ship-building unit Vijai Marine Shipyard, the two ferries -- ML Thamirabarani (75 pax) and ML Thiruvalluvar (150 pax) -- were delivered this month to a private shipping company in Tamil Nadu, which operates ferry services to and from the Vivekananda Rock under the aegis of the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation.

The fully air-conditioned ferry for 75 pax has luxurious seating arrangement, snacks counter, dance floor and can cruise to a max speed of 12.3 knots. The open-air ferry with a capacity of 150 passengers has a separate air-conditioned deck for 20 pax with a speed of 10.5 knots.

"Optimised design, quality shipbuilding and exclusive interiors with on time delivery is what Vijai Marine Shipyard has delivered consistently and we aspire to give tourists at Kanyakumari a safe and royal experience with these two vessels," Suraj Dialani, owner of the shipyard, said in a statement issued on Tuesday.

"Tamil Nadu Tourism is delighted to welcome two new vessels built by Vijai Marine Shipyards funded by the Asian Development Bank. These comfortable ferries of higher capacity with modern amenities will give memorable waterway travel experiences to the tourists visiting Tamil Nadu," said T.P. Rajesh, Commissioner and Managing Director at the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation.