New Delhi: Union Minister for Ports Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated the river cruise services at the Marmugao Port Trust in Goa on Saturday. He announced that services will immediately begin on all the proposed routes with its FRP double-deck boats to give the tourists a complete experience of Goan culture and history. This will be a common user's facility and any entrepreneur can venture into and start a new and similar type of Service from this berthing facility, available in the Port. This opportunity in Goa is to explore new ventures in river and island cruising which are not been tapped so far and it will be a unique opportunity to experience such an unexplored venture in Goa.
The Minister also visited the Port's operational areas including the Cruise Terminal Berth where an international & domestic cruise terminal is proposed to be set up and PPP Terminals operated by the South West Port Ltd (SWPL) and Adani Mormugao Port Trust Pvt Ltd (AMPTPL) to inspect the operations.
The Minister also held a meeting with the stakeholders and local functionaries which provided an opportunity for them to directly engage with the Minister and share their perspectives on India's growing maritime sector, improve the coastal traffic in an effective way and how maritime policies can contribute to its overall growth. The Minister also held a discussion with Unions and Associations operating in the Port for hearing their issues and suggestions for the growth of MPT.
Port being a service industry is providing facilities for both Exim and domestic sectors. Mormugao Port Trust being a unique port has multimodal connectivity, excellent cargo handling facilities high productivity streamlined administration and a dedicated workforce all go towards making this Port as one of the most efficient on the Indian Subcontinent.
During his one-day schedule in Goa, the Minister will deliberate with various stakeholders to augment MPT's potential in order to cater to the needs of Trade and Industry and to contribute to the economic development of the Nation. If all means of connectivity be it waterways, airways or railways are brought together and they play their role unitedly for the purpose of trade, or even providing the facilities to people within the proper time then the state's economy will definitely be strengthened.
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