Thaindian News

Panaji, Sep 22 (IANS) The Mormugao Port Trust in Goa is in the process of developing a cruise terminal for attracting cruise and foreign naval vesels seeking rest stops.
“We are in the process of developing two large berths near the port’s breakwater to handle cruise traffic,” said MPT chairman Pravin Agarwal.

“The port trust is looking at attracting 130-140 cruise calls annually once the berths are ready over the next couple of years,” Agarwal told reporters on the sidelines of a press conference Monday.

The 235-metre- and 450-metre-long berths will be built on a public-private partnership (PPP) basis. “We will go for a PPP model in order to make a world class cruise terminal after creating the basic infrastructure.”

Currently, only the Kochi port receives more cruise traffic than Mormugao, even though a lot of vessels want to berth in Goa,” Agarwal said, adding that lack of facilities and other factors had impeded the state’s chances of becoming a cruise terminal hub.

“We have had a few foreign naval vessels coming in for rest, but when we dock them next to berths 11 and 12, the hulls of the vessels get blackened with the soot from coal handling at these berths,” he said.

The coal dust renders the port a less attractive destination for cruise vessels.

“Naval vessels come in groups, often with submarines and ships together for short rest stops for the crew, who spend a lot of money in the area they visit,” Agarwal said.

“Goa has not been able to cash in this avenue fully despite being such an attractive destination.”

He also did not rule out the possibility of offshore casinos near the port in future.