Essar Ports completes work on passenger ferry terminal at Hazira

Essar Ports on Friday said it has completed work on a passenger ferry terminal at Hazira, paving the way for cruise-based service between Surat and Mumbai.

The terminal has been built in record eight months' time, it added.

"Essar Bulk Terminal Ltd (EBTL), a part of Essar Ports...has completed work on the Passenger Ferry Terminal that has paved the way for a cruise-based passenger ferry service, commencing today, between Hazira Port in Surat and Bandra-Worli Sea Link in Mumbai. The Hazira-based terminal will also lead to ferry services being offered on other routes in the future," Essar Ports said in a statement.

Phase I of the terminal project will focus on the movement of passengers between Hazira in Surat and Mumbai. The company said it plans to extend the service to other coastal locations in Gujarat.

"The ferry service will be a huge boost to tourism in Gujarat. We look forward to contributing to similar projects that will help unleash the tremendous potential of coastal transport in India by using the country's extensive network of inland waterways," said Rajiv Agarwal, MD and CEO, Essar Ports.

The company said the Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) had given its permission to EBTL to develop and operate a passenger ferry terminal at Hazira, where the company also operates a 50 MTPA (million tonnes per annum) dry bulk cargo terminal.

"We are proud to have commissioned the project in record time to pave the way for the launch of this revolutionary ferry service," said Subhas Das, CEO, EBTL.

Essar Ports is a private sector port and terminal developer and operator.