Saint Martin’s ship services resume today

Tourist travel to Saint Martin’s Island resumes on Thursday, with three passenger vessels set to operate on the Cox’s Bazar-Saint Martin’s route after a four-day disruption since the island reopened to visitors on 1 November.
MV Bar Aulia, MV Karnaphuli and MV Teknaf are scheduled to leave Nuniachhara jetty on the Bakkhali River in Cox’s Bazar town one after another this morning.
Although the government reopened the island to tourists on 1 November, passenger services remained suspended due to various complications.
The vessels have now secured the required approvals from the government agencies concerned, along with clearance from the Cox’s Bazar deputy commissioner, said Hossain Islam Bahadur, general secretary of the Sea Cruise Operators Owners Association of Bangladesh.
He said the operators were ready to resume services regardless of the number of passengers.
The three vessels, approved by the Department of Shipping and the Department of Environment, have a combined capacity of 2,298 passengers. MV Bar Aulia can carry 850 passengers, MV Karnaphuli 732 and MV Teknaf 716.
Under the schedule, MV Bar Aulia will leave Cox’s Bazar at 7:00am and depart Saint Martin’s at 2:30pm. MV Karnaphuli will leave at 7:15am and return at 2:15pm, while MV Teknaf is scheduled to depart at 8:15am and leave the island at 3:30pm.

Under revised government guidelines, tourists can visit the island and stay overnight during the four-and-a-half-month tourism season, running from 1 November to 15 March.
Each visitor must pay a Tk100 environmental conservation fee and carry a travel pass and a QR-code ticket. The daily visitor limit has been set at 3,500.
Environmental restrictions introduced last year will remain in force to protect the island’s fragile ecosystem and biodiversity.
Lighting fires or lights on beaches and nearby areas at night, making loud noises and holding barbecue parties are prohibited. Visitors are also barred from entering keora forests or collecting, buying or selling keora fruit.
Activities that could harm wildlife and marine resources, including sea turtles, birds, coral, snails, mussels, starfish, horseshoe crabs, seagrass and seaweed, are also prohibited.
Motorcycles and water vehicles, including sea bikes, are banned from the beach.