A step towards offering tourists another option to exploring Goa will be available now. A vessel designed and built from scratch by Goans, using local innovativeness, in Goa will now allow families to sail in the backwaters of Goa. Designed by Gautam Talaulikar and built at the Shirodkar shipyard in Loutolm the vessel, called ABP Stella will allow Goans and others to explore their state.
Captain Diogo Pereira one of the three partners in this project said the motivation was that there was so much water around Goa and there was also the backwaters but they had not seen any Goans partyingvn rnjoying the backwaters. “The vessel was constructed by a crew numbering fifty over a period of seven months. The virus disrupted our plans and despite having completed the project in March they had to wait it out till all the papers were in order. The boat will ply from the old Goa jetty starting today”, he said.
The Goan team involved in designing the boat ensured fuel was used very efficiently and this meant the generator was very economical.
Captain Diogo has two other partners who put in their savings apart from a loan from a local bank. The response from the local market he said was heartening with a number of parties scheduled to be conducted on board this week.
One can only hope more Goan businessmen come forward with innovative ideas that are designed and developed in Goa leading to an enhancement of skills and employment in the state.
