India’s largest cruise terminal inaugurated in Mumbai to boost tourism

India’s largest cruise terminal, the Mumbai International Cruise Terminal (MICT), was inaugurated virtually on Saturday during the ‘Samudra se Samriddhi’ event in Bhavnagar, Gujarat. The inauguration was done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Developed by the Mumbai Port Authority (MbPA) under the Cruise Bharat Mission, MICT has been built to global standards to strengthen India’s position on the international cruise map. The terminal replaces the old 25,000 sq ft shed at Ballard Pier and now spans a built-up area of 4,15,000 sq ft, with a passenger handling capacity of 1 million annually and the ability to accommodate up to five ships simultaneously. The project, with an estimated cost of Rs 556 crore, marks a major step in modernising India’s cruise tourism infrastructure.

As per reports, Mumbai Port Authority currently handles over 100 cruise calls per year with around 1.5 lakh passengers, a number that is expected to grow with the new terminal. Adesh Titarmare, Deputy Chairman of MbPA, highlighted that the development aims to provide an enhanced cruise experience for both domestic and international travelers, particularly the youth.

The inauguration also coincided with the signing of an MoU between MbPA and MMB to develop a mega shipbuilding cluster in Maharashtra, further boosting India’s maritime and shipbuilding capabilities.

Officials present at the event included Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, Minister of State Shantanu Thakur, Secretary T.K. Ramachandran, Special Secretary Rajesh Kumar Sinha, and Joint Secretary R. Lakshmanan.

The Mumbai International Cruise Terminal is expected to play a key role in enhancing India’s cruise tourism sector, creating jobs, and strengthening maritime infrastructure in line with global standards.

(This story was taken from syndicated feed and was only edited for style by Gujarat Samachar Digital team)