Visakhapatnam’s cruise terminal gears up for international voyages

Setting Sail for Success

• Constructed at Rs 77 cr, the new terminal received 50% funding from Tourism Ministry and therest from VPA
• Cruise operators, including Littoral Cruises, have shown interest in launching services from Vizag
• Both domestic and international cruises are planned, including Port Blair, Singapore, Southeast Asia, and Colombo

Visakhapatnam: The Visakhapatnam International Cruise Terminal (VICT) developed by the Visakhapatnam Port Authority with a capacity to handle 2,000 passengers is gearing up to commence cruise service in next few months as the talks with cruise liner operators has been evoking an encouraging response.

The terminal built at a cost of Rs 77 crore has already received a proposal from an operator to introduce service to Singapore from Chennai to Visakhapatnam. Out of the total expenditure, Ministry of Tourism committed 50 per cent of funding, equivalent to Rs 38.50 crore and the balance was spent by VPA from its internal accruals. Cruise terminal building is spread over an area of 4,580.46 square meter comprising ground floor and first floor with world-class amenities like lounges, customs, immigration, quarantine counters, baggage handling facilities, scanning, concourse, multi-cuisine cafeteria, entertainment, shopping, health, and business exhibitions, money exchange outlets, CCTV coverage, and ample parking area.

VPA Chairman M Angamuthu said they are in touch with the cruise operators and some of them have evinced interest to start their services. The port wants to encourage both international as well as domestic cruise services to Port Blair and other destinations.

He said they are expecting cruise operations in next three months or so. "Initial response is quite overwhelming as there is huge potential to connect Visakhapatnam with South East Asian countries and other destinations like Colombo due to location of Buddhist sites, picturesque beaches, valleys and heritage structures in and around Visakhapatnam," Angamuthu told Bizz Buzz.

The port, which will engage a private operator for managing the terminal, is expected to use it for a particular period for cruises and the remaining for coastal shipping. At present, it is being used for anchorage of passenger ship being run by the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) from Visakhapatnam.

Littoral Cruises Limited (LCL), a Chennai-based public limited company, which declared its plans to ply domestic and international cruise liners in phases between February to June by making Chennai as the home port sees huge potential for cruise tourists to Visakhapatnam. LCL has plans to introduce two large vessels with a capacity of 800 and 1200 passengers and two luxury boats with 22 and 30 passengers each in Chennai-Trincomalee-Colombo-Male (Maldives) and Chennai-Visakhapatnam-Singapore circuits, Littoral Communications Chairman and serial entrepreneur Raja Vaiz, who promotes LCL, told Bizz Buzz.

VICT was inaugurated in September last year by Union Minister for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal after successful operation of Cordelia Cruise from Visakhapatnam to Chennai and Puducherry during the lockdown.

The terminal is built to serve as a pivotal gateway for both domestic and international cruise tourism. The salient features of the terminal include a berth measuring 180 meters in length, four mooring dolphins, two on each side, extending the total length to 300 meter, a terminal of 2,000 square meters and adequate parking space for seven buses, 70 cars and 40 two-wheelers.