Jan 2020

COVER STORY
in South Asian cruises, suggesting ample scope in the
domain. One of the major hurdles to deal with in the industry
is the lack of infrastructure, required in order to
facilitate the influx of cruise vessels. INCLA has been
formed by leading cruise liners and other stakeholders
from around the globe with the objective to create a
roadmap for the development of the cruise sector in
India and also to highlight various issues being faced
by the Indian cruise industry, initiate reforms required
to address the said issues and ensure that reforms are
implemented effectively at the ground level. A detailed
SOP document is also available, aided by the Ministry
of Shipping which is very coherent. This is also allied
with quarterly policy and monitoring meetings for
cruise tourism.
Mansukh Mandaviya
Minister of state for Shipping
In an exclusive interview with the Honourable
Minister of state for Shipping, Shri. Mansukh
Mandaviya; he expressed his thoughts about the cruise
potential in India along with the government’s vision
for its expansion. A vast majority of Indians, are opting
for cruise holidays in destinations like Singapore,
Maldives, Thailand and the like. Cruising is now gaining
popularity in India while the government is looking
forward towards promoting the same. The potential
of inland waterways is realized with the introduction
of river cruises on the Ganges and the Brahmaputra.
Uniworld, Pandaw and Avalon are the most popular
cruise lines on the Ganges River in India, while lines
including Saga Cruises, International Expeditions and
Fred River Cruises service the Brahmaputra River.
‘’Cruise tourism can become a major source of
employment because of its labour-intensive nature.
Shri Mandaviya remarked that, today 2.30 lakh Indian
seafarers are serving in the global shipping industry’’.
Therefore, the Centre is facilitating growth in this sector
by creating synergy between the various stakeholders
of the industry like cruise companies, tour operators
immigration and customs department and so on, said
the Minister. This is also complimented by the various
cruise circuits that are being devised to amplify the
January 2020 | Littoral Wind | 13
development. The ministry of shipping has plans to
also focus on the development of maritime heritage in
the country, and is planning to construct a museum at
every port beginning with Kolkata. This museum will be
an incentive in providing the tourists the infotainment
while they enjoy their cruising experience. Earlier this
month, the Road Transport, Highways and Shipping
Minister Shri .Nitin Gadkari recently laid the foundation
stone for construction of a passenger jetty at Kanhoji
Angre Island in the presence of Heavy Industries &
Public Enterprises Minister Anant Geete. The project
is being implemented by the Mumbai Port Trust (Mbpt)
and was initiated by the former union minister of state
for shipping; Milind Deora. “The Mumbai Port Trust
will invest Rs 47 crore to develop the Kanhoji Angre
Lighthouse as a tourist destination,” Shri Gadkari said.
He added that, Rs 17 crore will be spent for building a
jetty, while the balance will go towards tourist facilities
on the island, which will include restaurants, camp
sites, accommodation rooms and up gradation of the
fort. The union minister had said a few days ago that
his ministry plans to throw open over 300 lighthouses
across the country for tourism. These are some of the
few initiatives among many that the shipping ministry
envisions in order to enable blooming of the industry.
Shri Sanjay Bhatia, Chairman, Bombay Port Trust
& Chairman, Indian Ports Association, said: “There has
been a strategic shift in thinking regarding utilization
of ports in India. We are planning to transform ports
to support cruise tourism. The government is working
very closely and several reforms have been taken including
reduction of tariffs at five ports Mumbai, Goa,
New Mangalore, Kochi and Chennai”.
“ Cruise tourism can become
a major source of employment
because of its labour- intensive
nature. Shri Mandaviya
remarked that, today 2.30
lakh Indian seafarers are
serving in the global shipping
industry. ’’
“The ministry has also recently resolved the issues
regarding Cabotage laws and will look at the charter of
demands from industry stakeholders to resolve them
at the earliest to promote cruise tourism,” said Shri
Nitin Gadkari, Honorable Minister of Road Transport