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The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoSPW), Shri Sarbananda Sonowal flagged off Cruise Operations from the Mumbai International Cruise Terminal (MICT), India’s largest cruise terminal, in Mumbai today. The Union Minister also inaugurated renovated Fire Memorial at Victoria Docks as well as renovated two heritage buildings — Fort House Ballard Estate and Evelyn House at Colaba. Sonowal also inaugurated Sagar Upvan garden along with Shore to Ship Electric Supply under Green Port Initiative. 

The MICT, developed as per Cruise Bharat Mission, was developed as per latest global standards and is expected to take a pioneering role in developing cruise tourism in India. Spread over a built up area of more than 4,15,000 Square Feet, the MICT is developed at Ballard Pier. MICT is India’s largest world class cruise terminal. Equipped with  72 Check in and Immigration counters spreading over an area of 2,07,000 Square Feet on the first two floors (G+1) while the other two floors (2 + 3) are developed as Commercial Floors. The newly inaugurated MICT is designed to handle 1 million passengers every year with an approximate 10,000 passengers per day. It can also handle 5 ships simultaneously, with 11 meters draft and upto 300 meters length. At the parking space, more than 300 vehicles can be parked simultaneously. 

Speaking on the commencement of Cruise Service from MICT, the Union Minister said, “The maritime history of Mumbai is rich and an integral part of our civilisation. As a coastal hub, it has served the nation handsomely with its bustling coastal business. It is only logical that we work towards realising Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji’s vision of ‘Bharat becoming a global cruise hub through its state-of-the-art infrastructure.’ Today, Mumbai, with its longstanding repute as a major maritime hub in the world, commenced Cruise Operations from the Mumbai International Cruise Terminal, providing passengers modern amenities for a better and safer experience. This adds to our existing such top class international terminals at Visakhapatnam and Chennai. In order to celebrate the heroic contribution of Mumbai Port Fire Services personnel, the newly renovated Fire Memorial at Victoria Docks celebrates their distinctive service to the nation.”  

MICT has been designed with a wavy ceiling reflecting the maritime identity with functional and minimalist architecture. MICT blends modern design with Mumbai’s maritime spirit—featuring fluid architecture, rose gold accents, and a sweeping ceiling. From heritage-inspired entry to sleek interiors with wave seating, selfie points, and maritime plaques, it offers a serene yet vibrant gateway to India’s emerging global cruise hub. MICT will provide enhanced passenger experience and position Mumbai as one of major hub for cruise tourism hub. The total investment in the MICT project has been ₹556 crores. 

Elaborating on the vision of Cruise Bharat Mission, the Union Minister Shri Sarbananda Sonowal said, “PM Narendra Modi ji’s call for port-led prosperity has redefined our maritime ambitions. we also give momentum to the ‘Cruise Bharat Mission’—our resolve to make Bharat one of the top cruise destinations in the world. The mission embraces three pillars—Ocean and Harbour Cruises, River and Inland Cruises, and Island and Lighthouse Cruises. With a comprehensive strategy that combines digital ease, circuit integration, environmental sustainability, and global partnerships, This is India’s cruise awakening—bold, inclusive, and future-ready. Under the visionary leadership of hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, India’s maritime sector has witnessed an astonishing transformation. it is the story of an India that believes in its potential and invests in its people.”

The renovated Fire Memorial at Victoria Docks, which was inaugurated by the Minister, is a solemn tribute to the Mumbai Port Fire Services personnel for their distinctive service to the nation. The fire memorial is renovated with “Golden Tears” theme as the tragic event which rained golden bricks were blown in the surrounding area of Port. To promote heritage and tourism, façade lighting was inaugurated at two iconic heritage buildings of MbPA – Port House at Ballard Estate and Evelyn House at Colaba — adding to the aesthetic and historical appeal of the city’s legacy. 

In a boost to Green Port Initiative, the Shore to Ship Electric Supply at MbPA will help Tug boats and Coast Guard vessels, reduce emissions, bring in operational efficiency and reduce noise pollution. MbPA's commitment to environmental sustainability and modernisation of port infrastructure, providing shore-based electric power will significantly enhance energy efficiency and operational cleanliness. 

The rejuvenated Sagar Upvan Garden at Colaba was also inaugurated today.  With support from Tata Trusts, the MbPA undertook extensive repair and enhancement works, including the restoration of the compound wall, construction of facilities for gardeners, along with a 25000 KLD Sewage Treatment Plant. Rich with more than 500 varieties of plants, it has scenic views of the Arabian Sea as well as Sassoon Docks. It has  lush green lawns, sea-facing benches, and pathways ideal for jogging and walking along with a living laboratory for botany students and nature enthusiasts. 

Union Minister Shri Sonowal also attended MoU signing ceremony for development of Infrastructure projects with investment worth of more than ₹5700 crores at Vadhavan Port, today. The agreements were signed for development of a terminal for handling container, bulk, and liquid cargo with investment of ₹4200 crores, development of a dedicated terminal for handling bulk and liquid cargo with an investment of ₹1,000 crores and development of a liquid cargo jetty and a tank farm with a capacity of 3,00,000 CBM for handling liquefied chemicals and related products with an investment of ₹500 crores.

Speaking at the MoU signing ceremony, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal said, “Our dynamic leader, Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji has given us a vision of transforming Vadhavan Port to become one of the Top 10 Global ports. As Vadhavan Port project is likely to power up India’s current capacity by more than three times, this is all weather, green field deep draft major port is going to act as a game changer for not only India’s maritime sector, but also enable regional trade. As India is poised to become a Viksit Bharat by 2047, this port is likely to act as a major growth multiplier. In this regard, the MoUs signed today adds towards creation of infrastructure and capacity of the Vadhavan port and helps us take another step towards realising the vision of PM, Shri Narendra Modi ji.”

The inauguration of fuel dispensing infrastructure — including two HSD units, one gasoline unit, and a fast electric vehicle (EV) charger — further bolsters the port’s push towards sustainable mobility within the operational area. The event also included the formal handover of key land assets. A charge certificate of the plot at Malet Bunder was handed over to JNPA for its corporate building. Another plot at Reay Road was transferred to the Hare Krishna Mission for social and community activities. Additionally, the E Shed at Mumbai Port was handed over to M/s Ruchi India Logistics to strengthen port-led logistics operations.

Speaking on the occasion, the Union Minister of State, MoPSW, Shri Shantanu Thakur said, “The launch of the new cruise service in Mumbai, restoration of Mumbai’s maritime heritage buildings, and green port initiatives mark a transformative step forward in realising Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji’s vision of a sustainable, vibrant, and tourism-driven maritime economy that honours our past while embracing a cleaner, greener future. These efforts boost coastal tourism and urban renewal. They also reinforce India’s maritime leadership globally.”

The Cruise Bharat Mission has set ambitious yet achievable goals like Development of 10 international sea cruise terminals, creation of 100 river cruise terminals, Launch of 5 marinas along our coast, Seamless integration of more than 5000 km of waterways, Aiming for 1 million sea cruise passengers and 1.5 million river cruise passengers by 2029, creation of over 400 thousand direct and indirect jobs across the cruise value chain. Since 2014, the government under the leadership of PM Shri Narendra Modi, has led to a transformation of the maritime sector. The cargo handled at the major port cargo surged from 556 MMT in 2014 to 854 MMT in 2024-25 while costal cargo grew by 119%. The inland water cargo rose from 6.89 MMT to 133 MMT—a leap of over 1800%. The cruise passengers increased from 85,000 in 2014 to 4.71 lakh today, a phenomenal growth of 454%. 

Union Minister Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, who graced the occasion as the Chief Guest, was joined by Shri Shantanu Thakur, Union Minister of State, MoSPW as the Guest of Honour along with Susil Kumar Singh (IRSME), Chairman, Mumbai Port Authority (MbPA); Adesh Titarmare, IAS, Deputy Chairman, MbPA; Unmesh  Sharad Wagh, IRS, Chairman, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) and Dhruv Kotak, Managing Director, J.M. Baxi among other dignitaries and senior officials of the MoPSW and MbPA. 

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