Waiting for the first cruise terminal

The first cruise terminal in the country will come up in Kochi, if everything goes right, reports Priyadershini S. The blueprint is ready and tourists the world over may drop anchor here

he glamour capital of the State, Kochi, is poised for bigger things. The face of tourism in the State will change when Kochi port gets its star facility, the cruise terminal, the first in the country. With plans past the conceptual stage and with th e tying of loose ends Kochi may see a top-of-the-pops cruise terminal by 2009. The chairman of the Port Trust, N. Ramachandran says, “We have very ambitious plans for a cruise berthing terminal and we are confident that the project will be viable and be ready by 2009.”

Mega project

The increase in the number of cruise liners making Kochi their port of call has necessitated this mega project. With high profile travellers, the rich and the famous, the retirees and the leisurely, the tourism aspect of this new trend cannot be overlooked.

In fact, the port is capitalising on this very aspect and is ready to have a terminal that will compel cruise travellers to enlist Kochi as a must-see destination on their wish list.

With over 40 bidders responding to the global tender floated by the port, it is the consortium of Transystems of USA, Virginia and Mir Projects & Consultants Pvt.Ltd. of India that has been chosen to conceive the project. Mir Projects & Consultants is the Asian partner for Transystems Corporations.

Arun Kumar K, MD, Mir Group says, “Cruise tourists are the richest in the world and they don’t travel much in the port of call. The liner is in the port for not more than 10 to 12 hours, so we need to have a very attractive facility that will draw them out from the ship into the terminal.”

And so the cruise terminal is planned as a glitzy public plaza that will have facilities ranging from large immigration halls to shopping malls, trade centre, food plaza, ayurvedic spa and even a star hotel attached to it. “We have earmarked 12 hectares of land near the Port Trust Guest House and with possibility of more land in the vicinity for this project, plus a deep water front to make the jetty. As of now Kochi gets cruise ships only during the tourist season, from August to April. We must have a facility that will generate enough revenue to maintain and set off the investment that we have made,” says Mr Ramachandran,

And to make this a profitable venture the terminal is to be an attractive round-the-year spot for both travellers and locals. To make it so, Mr. Arun Kumar says, “We have envisaged something like the ‘chaukidhani’ in Jaipur that showcases Rajasthan in its entirety, at a point.

We are planning something unique like that. It should truly reflect Kerala. From large scale shopping malls selling handlooms, cashew, coir that will promote our own trade to large food plazas serving ethnic foods from all over India will be an attraction.

As these cruise liners have restaurants serving different continental foods we have to provide them with local cuisine. We are also planning high-end office spaces to lease out for the Port to earn revenue.

As this will be the first cruise terminal in India there are plans for a five star hotel on the premises. This should become a brand like Miami or the Aloha terminal in Honululu, to be included in International tourist maps.”

Mir Group says it envisages this 500 crore mega project as a Public Private Partnership( PPP)venture.

Viable

Excited at the prospect of such a terminal says, Sejoe, Director Marvel Tours, a company which handled the Queen Elizabeth 11 and Queen Mary passengers this past season, “There is a huge need for this. It will definitely be viable as more passenger ships will dock once this facility is available. As of now the QE11 took the extra effort to come to Kerala because Kerala is a hot destination. Such a terminal will attract more such ships. It will ease the present problems, like now, often, unloading of coal goes on the other side when the passengers are disembarking.”

But the nagging question that remains is whether Kochi will attract this many cruise liners after all, to make this a viable project. People from the shipping community seem upbeat. Says Rajesh Asher, President Cochin Steamer Association, “In 2005-06 we had 26 cruise vessels which became 38 the very next year. For 38 to become 72 will be easy if such an attractive terminal comes up. If 26 can become 38 without facilities why not 38 turning 72 with facilities?” With the general cruise business increasing the world over the timing to drop anchor for a cruise terminal in Kochi port is perfect.