'Made in Kerala' boats making waves in India and beyond, orders pour in

KERALA is becoming a boat manufacturing hub, especially in the small vessel category, as evidenced by the number of boatyards operating in the state.

- ANU KURUVILLA @Kochi

As per the statistics from the Kerala Maritime Board (KMB), the authority has issued accreditations to around 80 to 85 boatyards in Kerala, most of them concentrated in Alappuzha, Kottayam and Ernakulam.

And many of these boatyards boast of orders not only from other states but also countries like Canada and Israel.

Joy Jacob, the CEO of Matha Marines located at Nettoor, says Kerala's boat-building industry has shown significant improvement.

"We are experiencing steady demand from private individuals and successfully supplying boats to meet their needs," Jacob tells TNIE.

According to him, their boats are in high demand, not only within India but also globally.

"We have been successfully supplying our boats to various states. We have also been receiving inquiries from international clients. We are excited about the prospect of expanding our exports and making our presence felt in the global market," he says.

Aiswarya Joseph of Aismar Boat Builders, which has a legacy tracing back to the Portuguese era, says the same.