International cruise terminal at Visakhapatnam Port will be a catalyst, says Union Minister

On Monday, 4 September 2023, Union Minister for Shipping, Ports, and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated the International Cruise Terminal and other projects worth Rs 333 crore at Visakhapatnam Port. These include a covered storage shed, a truck parking terminal, and a revamped berth (OR-1 berth).

The cruise terminal accommodates 2,000 passengers and aims to handle over nine lakh passengers by 2030. Cruise tourism, with a market size exceeding $7 billion, holds vast potential for India’s ports. Minister Sonowal stressed India’s ports becoming world-class with modern infrastructure.

Earlier on Sunday, the Union Minister reviewed the projects. He hailed Prime Minister Modi’s leadership for nine years of progress and focused on the ambitious Sagar Mala project. The government has initiated 802 projects nationwide, worth Rs 5.6 lakh crore, led by the Ports and Maritime Board, he said. Sonowal highlighted that, in Andhra Pradesh alone, 113 projects with Rs 1.23 lakh crore are underway. Already, 36 Sagar Mala projects worth Rs 32.210 crore have been completed.

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As part of modernising Visakhapatnam, the government will offer domestic and international cruise operations, creating jobs through the new terminal at the port. Travel connectivity between Vizag and major cities like Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, Goa, and Kandla will improve. The government plans to make the city pollution-free and modernise the Visakhapatnam Port by 2030 to transport one million containers.

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