From fleet to flotilla, Mumbai port to build a corner for yachts

The marina could encourage advancement of yacht clubs and open the possibility of shared ownership of assets

India’s yacht owners have looked at their counterparts in Dubai and Singapore with envy for long. The reason: Boats and yachts sailing and anchoring randomly off the Mumbai coast facing the Gateway of India is hardly a fitting reply to the plush Dubai Marina or Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands. However, with the Mumbai port paving the way for its first marina project, this might be set for a change.

“It will give the yacht owners a secure storage place, especially during monsoon,” said Mumbai Port Trust Chairman Rajiv Gupta.

At present, boats floating around in the sea at Mumbai’s Apollo Bunder are vulnerable to damage and also run a security risk. In the absence of a secure accommodation, these can be easily broken into and driven away.

“Many rich people want to look at this model. Yachts are expensive and remain unused for long stretches. This causes wear and tear,” a senior maritime trade analyst said, adding that a marina would ensure a place for the upkeep and maintenance of these assets.

A HOME FOR MUMBAI YACHTS

The plan
* Capacity: 150-200 berth
* Initial investment: Rs 40 crore
Utilities: Besides storage, fuelling, repair & maintenance facilities; members could avail of captains kept by the marina and invest more in this space
Similar projects

• The Kochi port currently has a marina of its own, but that has a very limited capacity (50 berths)
• Faced with cargo crunch due to restrictions on iron-ore trade, Goa is planning to build a marina

The Mumbai marina, which is likely to have an initial investment of around Rs 40 crore, is planned to have parking space for 150 to 200 boats & yachts and, like its international counterparts, will have fuelling, repair & maintenance facilities. On the land side, the port will also have space of café, restaurants and offices. “Our clientele would love to see a marina in Mumbai. We have missed having one for very long now,” said SeaDream Yacht Club India President Sudesh Kishore.

Vizag’s International Maritime University recently finished its feasibility study for the project. Its report was referred back and it was asked to find a suitable location for the marina. Expected to come up on the northern side of the harbour waters, away from the Mallet Bunder, the marina would be developed on the land-lease model.

Among other things, it would also encourage advancement of yacht clubs, throwing open the possibilities of shared ownership of assets. If all goes well, this could become a successful business. “Currently, all that the sea-men of Bombay Yacht Club do is ‘wine and dine’. With such a development, the owners could avail of captains kept by the marina and invest more in this space,” the analyst said.

At present, the Kochi Port has a marina of its own, but with 50 berths, its capacity is very limited. Goa, faced with a severe cargo crunch due to restrictions on iron-ore trade, is also planning to build a marina. However, the potential of such a facility in Mumbai is considered unmatched. For the 140-year-old Mumbai Port, which faces a tough competition from Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust and Mundra in cargo-handling, the marina could present the possibility of carving out a niche for itself.