The first international cruise ship of the season docked at the Mumbai port after a pandemic-induced hiatus of two years. The Switzerland-based luxury cruise ship, the MV Viking Mars carrying 834 passengers, docked at the Mumbai port on November 13 and will head to Goa today.

Furthermore, Mumbai Port Trust authorities expect around 28 more visits by international cruise ships in Mumbai before the ongoing sailing season ends in May 2023.

Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, Indian ports handled an influx of 149 international cruise ships, out of which the Mumbai and Cochin ports handled 44 ships each.

Mumbai Port Authority and the concerned government agencies are preparing strategies for a revival of the cruise industry from pandemic induced losses. With this, the existing International Cruise Terminal of Mumbai is set to be replaced by an ultra-modern structure which will most likely be constructed by 2024.