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Goa Govt eyes cruise port, more iron ore
Goa plans to hold a global tender for construction of a cruise liner terminal, and plans to expand iron ore handling to keep pace with soaring steel demand.
Goa plans to hold a global tender for the construction of a cruise liner terminal, and plans to expand its iron ore handling to keep pace with soaring steel demand, an official said on Monday.
Goa, under Portuguese rule for over 450 years until 1961, attracts some two million tourists a year, drawn by its picturesque beaches, lush greenery and seafood.
Mormugao, one of India's oldest ports with a natural harbour, is also one the world's top 10 iron ore exporters, shipping about 40 per cent of India's iron ore exports.
India's iron ore exports are expected to rise more than 20 per cent to 57 million tonne in the current year ending March 2004 from 47 million last year.
Several Indian ports have ferry stations to handle passenger ships, but no port in the country has a fully-fledged cruise terminal, Mormugao port's PK Mohanty said in an interview.
"We plan to set up the country's first world-class cruise terminal with all back-up facilities such as customs clearance, immigration, restaurants and utility services," said Mohanty.
"We will be floating global tenders any time," he said, adding the Rs 1.75 billion ($39 million) project would take two years to build.
The project would be run on a build-own-transfer (BOT) basis, with the developers handing the facilities over to the Government trust-owned port after 30 years, Mohanty said.
The terminal, 450 metres (1,500 ft) long and 13-14 metres deep, would be able to handle liners up to 300 metres long.
"Cruise ships are generally the preferred choice of retired people who have ample time. But we hope the port's facilities will attract the new-generation, middle-class population with limited time for leisure and pleasure," Mohanty said.
He forecast the terminal would bring 200,000-300,000 tourists to Goa by cruise each year, mainly between September and April.
Mohanty said tourist arrivals in Goa, which has a population of 1.35 million, had been increasing every year, with over 50 per cent growth in the past two years alone.
Mohanty said Mormugao's facilities would be expanded to handle increased shipments on the back of a global upswing in steel demand.
Mohanty said the port would be able to load ore at 10,000 tonne an hour, up from 8,000 tonne currently.
The port had already increased the depth of one berth to 14 metres from 13 metres and planned to further increase the draft to 15 metres to be able to handle bigger vessels.
