Cruise traffic in India likely to sail beyond pre-Covid level in FY24

Costa Cruises returns to India after three years, to offer trips to Goa, Kochi, Lakshadweep

Cruise passenger traffic in India is expected to exceed the pre-pandemic levels this financial year with an increase in port calls, development of terminals, and easing of Customs and immigration standard operating procedures (SOPs), said Rajiv Jalota, chairman of Mumbai Port Authority, on Monday.

“We expect to handle 130-140 cruise ship movements in Mumbai, starting October. The number of cruise ships visiting Indian ports is increasing steadily,” said Jalota, who is also holding the additional charge of director general of shipping.

In 2022-23, ports of Chennai, Cochin, Mormugao, Mumbai, New Mangalore, and Vizag handled over 348,000 cruise passengers. In 2019-20, the passenger traffic at Indian ports was over 470,000 passengers.

Mumbai port, which witnesses the highest cruise traffic in the country, is developing a new cruise terminal, which will be ready by the end of 2023 or early 2024. A passenger terminal in Chennai was commissioned earlier this month with the launch of a cruise to Sri Lanka. New terminals are also being planned in Andaman & Nicobar, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry.

On Monday, Costa Cruises announced its return to India after three years signalling a boom in domestic leisure travel.

A Costa Cruises ship home ported in Mumbai for four seasons until the pandemic disrupted global travel. The Italian cruise line's ship Costa Serena will now sail on domestic routes between November-January. This includes 23 trips of 2-5 days to Goa, Kochi, and Lakshadweep, the latter included for the first time.

A home port is where a cruise ship begins or ends its journey and is different from a point of call, which is a transit halt in a cruise itinerary. Traditionally, Indian ports have served as points of call for foreign cruise liners with very few ships home porting in the country.

“The outlook for the cruise industry is bright after the pandemic disruption. We are seeing growth in Europe and South America. We expect India to show growth as well,” said Roberto Alberti, chief commercial officer of Costa Cruises.

Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Italian Consul General Alessandro De Masi attended the launch event in Mumbai.