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In an effort to encourage cruise tourism, the
Indian government has extended the permit to allow foreign registered seaborne
cruise vessels to operate along its coast by a further five years, till 2024.
The local cabotage law - which meant that only commercial vessels registered in
India were allowed to ply on its costal routes for carrying cargo and passengers
- was initially eased in February 2009 for a period of ten years to encourage
cruise liners around the world to operate ships in India without a licence from
the country’s maritime regulator, the director general of shipping.
In an attempt “to send good signal to the cruise community”, the tourism
secretary, who led a task force on cruise tourism, recently recommended an
extension of this cruise-specific cabotage relaxation beyond February 2019.
Upon this recommendation, according to a statement from the shipping ministry,
the government has decided to relax cabotage restrictions for foreign-flagged
cruise vessels by a further five years beyond 5 February 2019.
The decision comes in the backdrop of an announcement by Costa Crociere to base
its 1,300-pax Costa NeoClassica in Mumbai from 16 December this year. This
strategic move by Costa has been widely interpreted as a major kick-start for
cruise tourism in India. |
