The Mormugao Port has till date hosted 30 luxury cruise liners during the current cruise liner season which began on a high note on 10th Sept 2018 with the arrival of the first cruise ship MV VIKING ORION.
On 3rd April 2019, the Mormugao Port played host to luxury cruise liner M.V. COSTA VENEZIA of the Costa Cruises on her maiden call, a ship specially designed and built for the China market. The cruise liner docked at the Port with 2497 foreign guests and 1241 crew members to the state. The foreign guests hailed from China (276), Hong Kong (268), Switzerland (244), Germany (214), Brazil (162), Italy (150), France (143), and Britain (130). The cruise liner has arrived from Khor Al Fakan Port in Sharjah in the Persian Gulf and will sail on its onward voyage to the Cochin Port later in the evening.
Shri Vipin R. Menoth Traffic Manager, MPT, along with senior Officers of the port Shri Vijaya Dat Kagita, IOFS, Chief Vigilance Officer, MPT, Dr. Nimish Pillai, Chief Medical Officer MPT Hospital, Shri S.P. Mohan Kumar, Secretary (i/c), Capt, Arun Kumar, Harbour Master, and other executives visited the cruise ship. They were extended a warm welcome by the Master of the cruise liner Capt. Tihomir Muzic. A plaque exchange ceremony was held on board the cruise liner, being the maiden call of the cruise ship to the Mormugao Port. Shri Vijay D. Kagita CVO, on behalf of the Mormugao Port exchanged a plaque with Capt. Tihomir Muzic. The Captain of COSTA VENEZIA too presented a Ship’s Memento to Shri Kagita as a gesture of reciprocation and goodwill. Capt. Sushil Kumar of M/s. J.M. Baxi and Co., was also present during the exchange ceremony.
Speaking at the plaque exchange ceremony Shri Vipin R. Menoth, Traffic Manager, said ‘ On behalf of the 1700 employees and 4500 pensioners of MPT, city of Vasco, I extend a warm welcome to you, your officers, guests and crew to Goa. We sincerely acknowledge that Costa Cruises is one of our premium clients and seek their continued patronage. During the next cruise season we are expecting around 14 vessels of Costa Cruises to visit our port. We are thrilled on your visit here, because it’s a first port of visit in India during your maiden cruise, and we sincerely believe this visit will augur well for you and we will be a good omen to bring prosperity in future. The Mormugao port is in the process of setting up a state-of-the-art cruise terminal in the near future, and we hope you will consider Mormugao Port to be your Home Port in future. MPT has rationalised its tariff and have made it easy for cruise operators. We extend facilities to the family members of the crew to visit the port during the cruise chips stay in Port to facilitate family bonding.’
Expressing his happiness on the ship’s maiden call to Mormugao the first Indian Port on the West Coast, Capt. Tihimor Muzic said ‘This is our first visit to an Indian port and after visiting other ports and countries like Srilanka, Malaysia, Singapore Thailand, Japan, we will arrive in Shangai on 18th of May 2019 where the ship will be based. As you know Costa Cruises were always visiting Chinese ports, but, now we are exploring other Indian Ports. India will be our future cruise market and I am happy and pleased to be here. We also have many Indian officers and crew on board. They all celebrate the Indian Independence Day with great fervor. The Mormugao Port is strategically placed on the West Coast of India and it is easy to navigate from here to the other ports in South Asia. I am happy with the safe and wide navigational channel you have here. And I acknowledge and appreciate the services of your Marine Officers who helped in smooth navigation and logistical support during the docking of the cruise liner onschedule’.
The visiting guests were immediately, on landing, taken for site seeing visits across Goa by the tour operator M/s. International Travel Bureau. M/s. J.M. Baxi and CO., were the Shipping Agents for the cruise liner and provided the necessary logistical support to the vessel.
