Ernakulum Wharf project ready by Feb 2020
Work has started on Cochin Port’s state-of-the-art Cruise Terminal, which designed to handle 5,000 tourists. Construction of the terminal is estimated to cost Rs.25.72 crore, of which Rs.21.41 crore has been sanctioned as grant by the Tourism Ministry.
It will be completed by February 2020 at Ernakulum Wharf.
The facilities inside the Terminal, having 2253sq mtrs area, would include passenger lounge, crew lounge, 30 immigration counters, 8 customs clearance counters, 7 security check counters, Wi-Fi, tourist information counter, duty free shopping, souvenir/artefact/curio shops, medical care, book store, mini conference hall, gaming zone, ATM/bank services, foreign exchange counter, cafeteria, luggage counter, toilets, parking area for buses and cars, trolleys, wheel chairs etc.
In the recent years the Ministries of Shipping and Tourism have jointly taken several initiatives to promote cruise tourism in India by rationalizing tariff for cruise vessels to a subsidized composite tariff, exemption of cruise tourists arriving with e-visa from the requirement of bio-metric enrolment, constitution of Task force under the joint chairmanship of Secretaries of Tourism and Shipping, and the implementation of Standard Operating Procedures etc.
Being one of the prime cruise tourism destinations in India, Cochin has been getting around 40 cruise liners every year bringing tens of thousands of high net worth international tourists to Kerala where an average of US$400 per day is spent by each tourist.
Currently, 260-metre long cruise vessels are handled at the BTP berth and Samudrika, while vessels of more than 260-metre length are handled at Ernakulam Wharf.
Tourism Ministry support for Cochin Port Trust’s tourism infrastructure development includes Rs.4.61 crores for developing Samudrika, cruise passenger facilitation centre, Rs.9.01 crores for developing 2.1 kms waterside walkway between BOT bridge and Kannaghat bridge in Willingdon Island and Rs.21.39 crore for developing dedicated cruise berthing facilities at BTP. fiinews.com
