Chennai: The Union shipping and tourism ministries initiative to develop cruise and coastal tourism is likely to place the Chennai port in an unenviable position in terms of attracting greater cruise traffic in the coming months.
Aiming to roll out red carpet to receive scores of visitors from the sea, the authorities have developed the Cruise Passenger Facilitation Centre at the existing Passenger Terminal at Chennai Port at a cost of Rs 16.72 crores provided by the Union tourism ministry.
The terminal which will become operational from this April has numerous facilities including escalators, passport - baggage scanners, duty free shops, media centres, customs and immigration clearance facilities, first aid and food court facilities.
Chennai Port officials have exuded confidence that the cruise facilitation measures initiated by the Chennai Port in co-ordination with India Tourism and Tamil Nadu Tourism besides other stakeholders would make Chennai Port as the most preferred “Cruise Destination” in India.
The Chennai port bagged the best tourist-friendly harbour award from the Tamil Nadu tourism and Madura Welcome, recently, in recognition of the world-class infrastructure and tourist-friendly services extended to cruise tourists and cruise vessels calling Chennai Port.
Besides Chennai, the ministry of tourism in association with the port authorities, developed cruise passenger facilitation centre at Cochin Port, dedicated cruise berthing facilities at Cochin Port and cruise terminal building at Mormugao Port Trust. Also, foreign flag vessels carrying passengers have been permitted to call at the Indian ports for up to 2019 without obtaining licence from the Director General of Shipping.
