MoS shipping Milind Deora moots cruise terminals

Tour Operators demanding better facilities for cruise ships at Indian ports

Minister of state for shipping Milind Deora has mooted a  public-private partnership model to develop cruise terminals at major ports.

“We have private terminals for containers. Why can’t we have a private terminal for cruise ships. We are open to the idea and will explore feasibility of private cruise terminals,” Deora said on Wednesday.

Deora interacted with tour operators and members of the Indian Association of Tour Operators who are demanding better facilities for cruise ships at Indian ports.

The operators main concern is that India is losing out to ports in neighbourhood including Colombo and Dubai because of lack of adequate facilities at the ports.

“We are treated as a liability in the ports. Usually the dirtiest berth is  allotted to cruise ships. Most of the passengers on cruise ships are senior citizens and it find difficult to disembark. Mumbai has an air conditioned terminal building but the facilities are not adequate. We want better facilities,” a tour operator said. Baggage handling facilities, x-ray machines are inadequate.

The operators also pointed out that passengers of cruise ships have to undergo immigration check multiple times at each port of call in India and asked Deora for simplification of immigration policy.

Deora suggested that cruise terminals could be developed in a public private partnership on a revenue share model and this would address the issues of quality and infrastructure while government could earn revenue.