THE first batch of new water taxis run by Singapore Ducktours will take to the Singapore River in a matter of days.

Currently undergoing water trials, at least three of these 14m-long, 56-seater aluminium vessels, known as HiPPOboats, should be licensed for river cruises by the end of this month.

'By mid-June, we will have at least eight HiPPOboats in the river,' said Ms Agnes Shew, assistant director of Singapore Ducktours. The company also operates the DHL Balloon and city sightseeing tours on open-top buses and amphibious vehicles.

Over the next three years, this home-grown tour operator will launch 20 boats, costing about $7 million, on the river.

Some of these vessels will be outfitted with banquet tables for dinner cruises, and others with sofa seats for parties.

This new service is part of a large-scale rejuvenation plan by the authorities that aims to make the Singapore River a tourist magnet.

The new Ducktours boats replace bumboats formerly operated by tourism and leisure company Singapore Explorer, which ended at the end of last year. Another company, Singapore River Cruises & Leisure, continues its bumboat service on the waterway.

In accordance with national water agency PUB's regulations, all the new boats will operate with a hybrid system of batteries and solar panels.

Trained guides will provide live commentaries on historically significant spots as passengers glide past a route that includes the Esplanade and Clarke Quay.