India took a major step forward in its maritime transformation with the inauguration of the Mumbai International Cruise Terminal, the nation’s largest world-class cruise facility, by Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal. The launch event marked the commencement of cruise operations from this landmark terminal at Ballard Pier, developed under the Cruise Bharat Mission to international standards. Designed to handle up to one million passengers annually and accommodate five cruise ships simultaneously, the facility spans over 415,000 square feet, offering a seamless passenger experience with 72 check-in and immigration counters across two operational floors and commercial spaces on two upper levels.
The terminal’s architectural design evokes India’s maritime identity, featuring a sweeping wavy ceiling, rose gold accents, maritime plaques, and heritage-inspired aesthetics. It blends modern functionality with cultural elements and is expected to further elevate Mumbai’s profile as a premier cruise tourism hub. The total investment in the terminal stands at 5.56 billion rupees. It is equipped to handle vessels of up to 300 meters in length and a draft of 11 meters, with a parking facility that can accommodate over 300 vehicles.
In addition to the terminal’s inauguration, the Union Minister opened the renovated Fire Memorial at Victoria Docks. Restored with a “Golden Tears” theme, the memorial commemorates the sacrifice of Mumbai Port’s Fire Services personnel. Heritage promotion was further boosted with the inauguration of façade lighting at two historic structures—Port House at Ballard Estate and Evelyn House at Colaba—highlighting Mumbai’s maritime and colonial legacy.
As part of the Green Port Initiative, the minister also inaugurated Shore to Ship Electric Supply infrastructure at the port, enabling tugboats and Coast Guard vessels to reduce emissions, operational costs, and noise pollution. This green initiative reflects the Mumbai Port Authority’s ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability and modern operational efficiency.
The rejuvenated Sagar Upvan Garden at Colaba was another highlight of the day. Restored with support from Tata Trusts, the garden now features a 25,000 KLD sewage treatment plant, over 500 species of plants, sea-facing benches, jogging paths, and a botanical learning environment for students. It offers panoramic views of the Arabian Sea and Sassoon Docks and is poised to become a serene public destination blending ecology, recreation, and heritage.
In a parallel development, the Minister witnessed the signing of MoUs for infrastructure investments worth over 57 billion rupees at Vadhavan Port. The agreements include the development of a container, bulk, and liquid cargo terminal with an investment of 42 billion rupees, a dedicated bulk and liquid cargo terminal with 10 billion rupees, and a liquid cargo jetty with a tank farm capable of handling 300,000 CBM of liquefied chemicals with a 5 billion rupee investment.
Addressing the MoU ceremony, the Minister described Vadhavan Port as a game-changing greenfield deep-draft port project, capable of increasing India’s cargo handling capacity more than threefold. He reiterated the Prime Minister’s vision of positioning Vadhavan among the world’s top ten global ports and underscored its role in enhancing regional trade and national maritime capacity by 2047, as part of the larger Viksit Bharat initiative.
Further strengthening the port’s sustainable operations, new fuel dispensing infrastructure was inaugurated, including two HSD units, one gasoline unit, and a fast EV charging station. The event also included the formal transfer of key port properties, including the handover of Malet Bunder plot to Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority for its corporate headquarters, the transfer of Reay Road land to the Hare Krishna Mission for social initiatives, and E Shed at Mumbai Port to Ruchi India Logistics to bolster port-linked logistics.
Union Minister of State for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Shantanu Thakur joined the event and emphasized that the integration of cruise tourism, port infrastructure, green energy, and heritage restoration marks a transformative step in achieving Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a sustainable, vibrant, and globally connected maritime economy.
Under the Cruise Bharat Mission, the government has set ambitious goals including the development of 10 international sea cruise terminals, 100 river cruise terminals, five coastal marinas, and seamless integration of over 5,000 km of navigable waterways. The mission also targets handling one million sea cruise passengers and 1.5 million river cruise passengers by 2029, while generating over 400,000 direct and indirect jobs across the cruise value chain.
Since 2014, India’s maritime sector has witnessed a dramatic transformation. Cargo handled at major ports surged from 556 million metric tonnes in 2014 to 854 million metric tonnes in 2024–25, coastal cargo saw 119 percent growth, and inland water cargo grew by over 1800 percent, rising from 6.89 million metric tonnes to 133 million metric tonnes. Cruise passenger numbers recorded a growth of 454 percent, soaring from 85,000 in 2014 to 471,000 in the current year.
Dignitaries present at the event included Shantanu Thakur, Susil Kumar Singh, Chairman of Mumbai Port Authority, Adesh Titarmare, Deputy Chairman of MbPA, Unmesh Sharad Wagh, Chairman of Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority, and Dhruv Kotak, Managing Director of J.M. Baxi, along with senior officials and stakeholders from the maritime sector. Together, these developments underline India’s firm resolve to build a globally competitive, environmentally responsible, and tourism-driven maritime economy.
