Team Herald
VASCO: Mormugao Port Authority (MPA) Chairman Dr N Vinodkumar on Thursday said that the port has laid stress on international cruise tourism and is looking for various new revenue streams.
Dr Vinodkumar told media persons that the major revenue stream was the international cruise business and the works of building the new international cruise terminal is going on in full swing and would be completed by September-October this year. It will be made operational by December or January next year which will help the MPA to bring more cruise boats generating additional revenues.
The MPA chairman hinted at Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) mode to handle container cargo i.e. heavy duty cranes. It is also looking at bringing mechanisation of one or two berths for container cargo.
He said that the port connectivity will boost the business as the four-lane road project will be completed by November this year and help in the movement of container trucks.
Stating that the MPA is looking at all the options to increase its business to mobilise revenues, he said that the Port is also trying to handle additional cargo like gypsum and bauxite besides looking into the proposals at bitumen storage in the port.
The MPA is also working with the Goa Energy Development Agency (GEDA) to establish 3 MW solar generation plant in the port to meet its power requirements.
The MPA recently won the Sagar Shreshta Award at Delhi in the incremental category amongst all major ports for best ship berth day output. It handled a record 15,699 tonnes of cargo in a single day against around 11,000-odd ton per day in the previous year, said Dr Vinodkumar.
