Amid COVID-19 pandemic, India’s first domestic cruise liner Angriya, is now being used as an accommodation for stranded seafarers, since it helps them to navigate safely between their homes and port of calls.
According to Mumbai Mirror India Times, as part of its crew change services, the ship helps crewmembers who have been stranded across the globe due to the limited frequency of flights to either return home or join a vessel.
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As Capt. Nitin Dhond, chairman and managing director of Angriya Sea Eagle, explained to Mumbai Mirror India Times, seafarers disembark from their respective ships, and stay onboard the vessel for four to five days in quarantine mode, while they complete formalities for their departure from Sri Lanka.
To remind, the vessel has been out of business, as cruise operations came to a halt across the global following the pandemic.
What is more, the ship begun duties as a mid-sea floatel at the Galle port on December 2020, and is expected to be there for the following months.
However, once the travel COVID-19 restrictions are eased, the ship will be brought back to India and continue its cruises operations again.