Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurates international cruise terminal in Vizag

VISAKHAPATNAM: Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday inaugurated a world-class International Cruise Terminal in Visakhapatnam. He also laid the foundation for the development of a trunk parking terminal, capacity augmentation of berths OR I and OR II and construction of covered storage shed-2 at the port under the Visakhapatnam Port Authority (VPA), all worth Rs 333 crore.

He said that the cruise terminal which could handle 2,000 passengers at any given time would be developed into a hub for the entire East Coast. “Our aim is to create a capacity to handle nine lakh national and international passengers by 2030,” he said.

The launch of a terminal with international standards would catapult Visakhapatnam as a prominent tourist destination in India, Sonowal said. He observed that Visakhapatnam port had all the necessary infrastructure and an ecosystem to handle sea-based tourism.

The covered storage shed, equipped with a dust-suppressing sprinkler mechanism, would be built to handle 84,000 tonnes of bulk and bagged cargo. The truck parking terminal would be able to accommodate 666 trucks and a dormitory for truck drivers to rest.

The Minister, who also reviewed ongoing works of Vizag Port, said that there was tremendous progress in the maritime sector during the past nine years under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Under ‘Sagar Mala’, 802 ports have been taken up for development at a cost of Rs 5.6 lakh crore. Under this programme, we are concentrating on augmenting connectivity to ports, development of coastal communities and shipping. In Andhra Pradesh alone, the Union Government undertook the development of 113 maritime projects with an outlay of Rs 1.23 lakh crore," he added.