Lok Sabha Question No. 444 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-07-19
Subject: Development of Cruise Terminals
Ministry: SHIPPING
Asked by: RODMAL NAGAR, OM PRAKASH YADAV

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SHIPPING

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.444 rO BE ANSWERED ON lgTHJULY, 2018

## DEVELOPMENT OF CRUISE TERMINALS

## 444, SHRI NAGAR RODMAL:

SHRI OM PRAKASH YADAV:

Will the Minister  of SHIPPING be pleased  to state:

## qrd  cftd-6d'dfI

- (a) the steps taken/being taken by the Government  to attract cruise liners/ships  and develop cruise terminals/ports as a part of cruise  tourism in the country;
- (b) whether the Government  has taken up pilot projects in this regard and if so, the details  thereof along with the achievements  made so far under these pilot projects; and
- (c)  the time frame set for completion of these  projects?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF SHIPPING (SHRI PON. RADHAKRISHNAN)

- (a) The following important steps have been taken by the Government to develop Cruise Tourism in the country:
- (i) A Task Force was constituted in November, 2015 with Secretary (Tourism)  as the Chairman and Secretary (Shipping)  as the Co-chairman  for coordinated  efforts to create an enabling eco-system for the development of cruise  tourism in lndia.
- (ii) Foreign flag vessels carrying passengers  have been allowed  to call at lndian ports for a period of 10 years with effect from 6tn February,  2009 without obtaining a licence  from Director  General of Shipping. This facility has been extended further for a period of 5 years  i.e. upto  Sth February,2024.
- (iii) Standardized  Operating  Procedures (SOPs) for cruise  vessels have been revised and operationalised  w.e.f. November,2017  lor uniform,  predefined  processes  to be observed by all major ports.
- (iv) E-visa facility has been extended to five sea  ports namely  Mumbai, Goa, Mangalore, Cochin and Chennai.  lmmigration  counters have been set up at five major ports visited by cruise  ships.
- (v) Cruise  tourists  arriving with e-visa  have been exempted from the requirement  of biometric enrolment  for a  period  of three years i.e. fll  31.12.2020  to facilitate  expeditious immigration clearance.

- (vi) The port charges have been reduced and all maior ports now charge a uniform single rate of $0.35 per GRT for first 12 hrs of stay w.e.f 3'o November,  2017 and will remain in force for a period of three years.
- (vii) The ports  do not levy any priority/ousting/shifting  charges for berthing  the cruise  vessel.
- (viii) Walk-in berth ing/preferential berthing  to homeport cruise without any extra charge.
- (ix) To address manpower, coordination and logistic issues for handling cruise vessels  at ports, Port Level Committees  have been formed under  the respective  Chairmen  of the above mentioned Major Ports to facilitate  seamless  handling  of cruise ships and passengers.

(b) & (c) A new international  cruise  terminal  is being built at Mumbai  at an approximate  cost of Rs. 300 crores out of which Rs. 197 crores is the share of Mumbai Port and Rs. 103 crores by PPP operator  who would be engaged for operation  and management  of cruise terminal. The proposed  cruise terminal would cover total conslructed area of 4.1 5 lakh sq ft. with a total operational  area ol 1.7 lakh sq ft. and would be ground plus three storey structure  with iconic design on cruise  concept. The draft at this terminal would be -10.5 metre. The work is in progress  and the estimated  date of completion  is December,  2019. lt is proposed  to construct another cruise terminal facility  in the Ernakulum  Wharf of Cochin  Port for bigger ships. The proiect consists of construclion  of an international cruise  terminal  building of approximate area of 2253 sq mt at an estimated  cost of Rs. 25.72 crores. The work is under  progress  and estimated date of completion is 2020.