Al Salam Taba, the first passenger ship sailing from the Gulf to South India, set sail at 8pm yesterday from Port Rashid carrying more than 30 passengers from the UAE.

The ship, which can carry 1,615 passengers and 600 tonnes of cargo, is scheduled to reach Mumbai on Sunday. It also embarked passengers in Doha and Bahrain. In the UAE, Al Ghaith Al Moosa Travel Agency (ALTA) has been named general sales agent by operator Tylos Ferry of Bahrain.

The ship offers four classes of accommodation: Super Class Cabin costing Dh900 per person, Standard Class cabins costing Dh700 per person, Standard Pullman Seats costing Dh600 and Standard Deck Seats costing Dh400.

Most UAE passengers were labourers and chose to travel by the cheapest class - Standard Deck seat. Passengers greeted the ferry with enthusiasm because it is far cheaper than flying.

Abur Rehman of Al Ain, a sales manager, said, "I had not been able to visit my family in Kerala for four years as I was not able to save money for the air fare. Now I can visit my home every year."

Another passenger, Abdul Jabbar, an accountant for a Dubai catering company, said, "My home is Trivandrum. It costs me Dh1,300 for a one-way air ticket. I couldn't afford it, so I haven't visited my family for two years. The start of the ferry service is a boon to all of us. It will break the monopoly of Air India and Indian Airlines whose air fares to Kerala are unaffordable for people like us. I am travelling by Standard Pullman Seat class and am thrilled," he said.

Another passenger, Sheikh Abdullah, opted to travel by sea simply for the thrill of it. "I have never travelled by sea. I am sure to enjoy it," he said. Mohammed Razik said, "I come from Kannur in Kerala. If I had to travel by air I'd have to start saving six months before my journey. From Mumbai I will travel to Kannur by train."

Describing the ship's safety features, Captain Mikhail Shokery Naguib said, "We have 12 lifeboats for 600 passengers in addition to 48 liferafts. We have two doctors available round the clock. We also have international telephone call facilities."

ALTA General Manager Abdul Karim said the ship would dock at Mumbai for six hours and begin its return journey to Dubai on July 28 and continue to Bahrain, Doha and Umm Qasr in Iraq.

"The passengers, irrespective of the class they are travelling in, will be provided with five meals a day at no extra charge. Another ship is due to leave Port Rashid for Kochi on July 4. The demand is huge for Kochi. We have already made bookings for more than 300 passengers," he said.