TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
VASCO: Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) Chairman P Mara Pandiyan on Friday said he is exploring the possibility of restarting the Goa-Mumbai passenger ship service.
Pandiyan was speaking at a meeting convened with the shipping agents and other stakeholders who are involved in handling passenger cruise liners at the port.
“I am exploring the possibility to restart the Goa-Mumbai passenger ship service and we are in touch with Mumbai Port Trust and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT),” stated Pandiyan.
“The beautiful beaches in the State can attract high-end tourists to Goa and to achieve this, the tourism industry should create the required infrastructure. The cruise tourism industry is growing at a slow pace and to promote it, the MPT and the State government is working in that direction,” he said.
“Our aim is to get more cruise liners in the coming season and for this we want to send a clear message that Goa is the best tourist destination,” added Pandiyan.
Pandiyan further said Vasco is logistically well connected to the nearest airport from the port and tourists coming by the cruise liners can take a flight back to their country from the Dabolim airport.
“MPT is ready for any tourism activity and can also provide space to anchor luxury yachts at the port. MPT provides maximum safety to the tourists and attends to any distress call at any given time,” he said.
Pandiyan said about 25 cruise liners have already confirmed their decision to berth at the port for the coming season. “The figure will go up once the season starts. Last season, about 31 passenger cruise liners called at the port and MPT handled about 30,000 tourists,” he added.
During the interactive session, MPT Traffic Manager A K Bose explained gradual growth in the passenger cruise liners that called at the port during the last season.
Bose also highlighted the newly constructed cruise terminal where at a time port can handle three passenger cruise liners.
“MPT has created a state-of-the-art infrastructure for the passengers at the berth with provision of immigration and customs offices to help the tourists once they land at the port,” added Bose.
