Ahmedabad: While major ports like Mumbai, Cochin, Chennai, and Mormugao have made notable progress in developing cruise terminals, Gujarat, despite having the longest coastline in India, still lacks a dedicated cruise terminal. Taking a significant step towards establishing a cruise tourism ecosystem, the Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) organized a stakeholder consultation workshop on May 6 to chart out a Cruise Shipping Policy tailored to the state.

The first session of the day-long workshop, themed “Policy & Infrastructure – Laying the Foundation for India’s Cruise Growth,” featured insights from leading maritime and tourism experts. An interactive Q&A session followed, allowing stakeholders to share perspectives and offer recommendations for building a robust and future-ready cruise policy for Gujarat.

As part of the Cruise Bharat Mission, Gujarat has proposed multiple cruise circuits along its western coastline. These circuits cover key destinations such as Diu, Veraval, Porbandar, Dwarka, Jamnagar, Okha, and Padala Island, in addition to the operational Ghogha–Hazira Ro-Pax ferry service.

The proposed cruise routes have been organized into three tourism-focused clusters:

• Padala Island – Rann of Kutch

• Porbandar – Veraval – Diu

• Dwarka – Okha – Jamnagar

Each cluster has been planned to ensure that religious, natural, and cultural attractions fall within a 100-kilometre radius, allowing for convenient and attractive shore excursions for cruise passengers.

Notably, the Cruise Bharat Mission, launched by Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, on September 30, 2024, aims to position India as a global hub for cruise tourism within the next decade. The mission envisions a tenfold increase in sea cruise traffic by 2029. DeshGujarat