Mumbai News: Sarbananda Sonowal Launches India’s First International Cruise Terminal, Unveils Maritime & Heritage Projects (Video)
Mumbai: Union Minister for Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, officially launched cruise operations from the Mumbai International Cruise Terminal (MICT) on Monday, April 21. Alongside the flagging-off ceremony, the Minister also inaugurated several key projects, including the restored Fire Memorial at Victoria Docks and the renovated heritage structures Port House at Ballard Estate and Evelyn House at Colaba. In addition, Sonowal opened the rejuvenated Sagar Upvan garden and introduced Shore to Ship Electric Supply under the Green Port Initiative.
Situated at Ballard Pier, the state-of-the-art MICT aims to play a transformative role in boosting cruise tourism in India. Spread over 4,15,000 square feet, the terminal includes 72 check-in and immigration counters across its first two floors, covering 2,07,000 square feet. The upper floors are designated for commercial use. Designed to accommodate up to 1 million passengers annually—or around 10,000 per day—the terminal can simultaneously handle five ships with a draft of 11 meters and lengths of up to 300 meters. The facility also features parking space for over 300 vehicles.
Speaking at the event, Sonowal said, "Mumbai, with its longstanding repute as a major maritime hub in the world, commenced Cruise Operations from the Mumbai International Cruise Terminal, providing passengers modern amenities for a better and safer experience. This adds to our existing such top class international terminals at Visakhapatnam and Chennai.”
With a total investment of Rs 556 crores, the MICT is expected to significantly enhance the passenger experience and position Mumbai as a premier cruise tourism hub.
The Fire Memorial at Victoria Docks, now renovated with a theme titled “Golden Tears,” was also inaugurated during the event. This memorial honors the sacrifice of Mumbai Port Fire Services personnel and recalls the tragic incident where golden bricks were blown across the port area. To highlight the city’s heritage and promote tourism, new façade lighting was installed on the two historic buildings—Port House and Evelyn House—further enhancing their aesthetic and historical charm.
As part of the Green Port Initiative, the Minister inaugurated the Shore to Ship Electric Supply system at MbPA, aimed at reducing emissions, improving energy efficiency, and minimizing noise pollution from vessels such as tug boats and Coast Guard ships. The modern infrastructure marks a significant step in the port’s sustainability efforts.
Sonowal also opened the restored Sagar Upvan Garden in Colaba. Developed with support from Tata Trusts, the garden saw major upgrades including repairs to the compound wall, construction of facilities for staff, and installation of a 25,000 KLD Sewage Treatment Plant. The garden now features over 500 plant species, sea-facing benches, jogging paths, and serves as a green space ideal for botany students and nature lovers. It also offers scenic views of the Arabian Sea and Sassoon Docks.
In addition to these developments, Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) worth more than Rs 5,700 crores were signed for infrastructure projects at the upcoming Vadhavan Port. These include a Rs 4,200 crore terminal for handling containers, bulk, and liquid cargo; a Rs 1,000 crore dedicated bulk and liquid cargo terminal; and a Rs 500 crore liquid cargo jetty and tank farm with a capacity of 3,00,000 CBM for handling liquefied chemicals and related products.
Speaking on the Vadhavan Port developments, Sonowal stated, “Vadhavan Port to become one of the Top 10 Global ports. As Vadhavan Port project is likely to power up India’s current capacity by more than three times, this is all weather, green field deep draft major port is going to act as a game changer for not only India’s maritime sector, but also enable regional trade. The MoUs signed today adds towards creation of infrastructure and capacity of the Vadhavan port and helps us take another step towards realising the vision of PM Narendra Modi ji.”
The event also marked the transfer of key land assets. The charge certificate for a plot at Malet Bunder was handed over to JNPA for its new corporate building. A separate plot at Reay Road was transferred to the Hare Krishna Mission for social initiatives, while the E Shed at Mumbai Port was handed over to Ruchi India Logistics to enhance port-led logistics operations.
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