New cruise terminal at Cochin to be ready by February 2020

Cochin Port Trust (CPT) issued work order on Friday to construct a new cruise terminal at the Ernakulam Wharf in Cochin.

A new cruise terminal having facilities to handle 5,000 tourists will come up at Ernakulum Wharf of Cochin Port by February 2020, the Ministry of Shipping said in a statement. 

The terminal, having 2,253 square metres area, will have passenger lounge, crew lounge, 30 immigration counters, duty-free shopping, souvenir, artefact, curio shops mini conference hall, gaming zone, bank services, foreign exchange counter, trolleys, wheelchairs among other facilities.

Of the total Rs 25.72 crore estimated cost of construction of this cruise terminal, Rs 21.41 crore has been sanctioned as a grant by the Ministry of Tourism.

At the moment, cruise vessels having length up to 260 metres are handled at the BTP berth and Samudrika, the cruise passenger facilitation centre at Cochin. However, vessels having a length of more than 260 metres are handled at Ernakulam Wharf. Hence, the need to have a new cruise terminal at Ernakulam Wharf. 

Apart from Cochin / Ernakulam, a new international cruise terminal is also being constructed at Mumbai and already a domestic cruise terminal is ready inside the Mumbai Port.