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Our Bureau

Rs 185-crore project is at the `tendering stage'

Panaji , April 19

The Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) has received three international bids, while two more parties have shown keen interest in the construction of a berth for cruise vessels and container traffic on build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis at Baina Bay.

The port, which is keen to join the national cruise circuit by developing a permanent cruise terminal of international standards in response to continued interest shown by international and domestic liners, is looking to select an operator through the process of competitive bidding.

Its Rs 185 crore project is at the tendering stage, Mr Praveen Agarwal, Chairman, MPT, told newspersons here on Tuesday.

The Vice-Chairman, Mr P.M. Mahapatra, and other MPT officials were also present. For the project, which consists of a berth with a length of 500 metres and would require dredging up to 11 metres, the hitch is the huge cost of creating a breakwater facility (around Rs 105 crore).

The private investors are reluctant to invest in the breakwater facility, admitted Mr Mahapatra.

The revised plans to add construction of a container berth are expected to take care of the viability of the project.

Cruise vessels arrivals

As of now, many international and domestic cruise liners are calling at the port.

For the year 2005-06, around 29,000 cruise passengers arrived at the port, said Mr Agarwal. Star Cruise, which began operating Super Star Libra, made 51 calls to MPT.

Ten calls were made by other international cruise vessels. Currently, the Star Cruise calls twice a week.

Apart from Indian cruise lines, Costa Cruise Lines and Carnival Lines were showing keen interest in this port.

Mr Agarwal said a UK company has sought permission to operate from Goa making it a home port for its cruise liner which would like to develop a circuit to include other ports such as Kochi and Colombo.

Queen Mary II from the Mediterranean region was another cruise liner which was looking for Central Asian regions for cruising and had made preliminary inquiries.

Apart from basic facilities, many of these cruise liners mostly look for the security aspect of the port, he said, and added that MPT possessed that certification.

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