India’s Maritime Dreams Take Off from Mumbai’s New Cruise Hub

Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal flagged off cruise operations from the newly inaugurated Mumbai International Cruise Terminal (MICT), India’s largest and most advanced cruise terminal, at Ballard Pier today. The event marks a significant stride in India's maritime ambitions under the Cruise Bharat Mission.

Spread over 4,15,000 square feet, MICT boasts cutting-edge amenities, 72 check-in and immigration counters, and a daily passenger capacity of 10,000. The facility can simultaneously berth five ships and park over 300 vehicles, projecting Mumbai as a global cruise tourism hub. Developed with an investment of ₹556 crores, the terminal reflects fluid maritime-inspired architecture with wave seating, rose gold finishes, and heritage-themed interiors.

Highlighting Mumbai’s rich maritime legacy, Sonowal said, “It is only logical that we work towards realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Bharat becoming a global cruise hub. The state-of-the-art MICT is a step forward in that direction.”

Also inaugurated were the renovated Fire Memorial at Victoria Docks and two iconic heritage buildings — Fort House in Ballard Estate and Evelyn House in Colaba. The Fire Memorial, themed “Golden Tears,” commemorates the bravery of Mumbai Port’s fire services personnel.

Adding a green touch, Sonowal launched the Sagar Upvan garden and Shore to Ship Electric Supply under the Green Port Initiative. Sagar Upvan, enhanced with support from Tata Trusts, features over 500 plant species, sea-facing benches, jogging paths, and a sewage treatment plant. The electric supply system will help vessels reduce emissions and noise pollution while docked.

Further boosting port infrastructure, Sonowal attended a MoU signing ceremony for over ₹5,700 crores in investments at Vadhavan Port. The agreements include development of terminals for container, bulk, and liquid cargo, along with a 3,00,000 CBM tank farm for liquefied chemicals. “Vadhavan Port is poised to be among the top 10 global ports and will triple India’s port capacity,” said the minister.

The event also featured the inauguration of sustainable fuel infrastructure, including HSD and gasoline units and a fast EV charger. Land asset handovers were also completed, including plots at Malet Bunder, Reay Road, and E Shed.

Minister of State for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Shantanu Thakur, who was present at the event, stated, “The restoration of maritime heritage buildings and green port initiatives reflect our commitment to a sustainable and tourism-driven maritime economy.”

Under the ambitious Cruise Bharat Mission, the government aims to develop 10 international sea cruise terminals, 100 river cruise terminals, 5 marinas, and seamlessly integrate 5,000 km of waterways. The target: 1 million sea cruise passengers and 1.5 million river cruise passengers by 2029, generating over 4 lakh jobs across the cruise value chain.

Since 2014, major ports’ cargo handling has grown from 556 MMT to 854 MMT, coastal cargo by 119%, inland water cargo from 6.89 MMT to 133 MMT, and cruise passengers from 85,000 to 4.71 lakh — a leap of 454%.

The event saw participation from MoPSW officials, Mumbai Port Authority Chairman Susil Kumar Singh, JNPA Chairman Unmesh Sharad Wagh, and JM Baxi Managing Director Dhruv Kotak.

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