GOA: Already one of the leading beach tourism destinations in the country, a tiny tropical state in Western India, is now eyeing the global ocean cruise market. Speaking to Bikyamasr.com here, chairman of the Mormugao Port Trust P Mara Pandian also said that a special deep water berth was being built by the port authorities, after foreign cruise liner tourists disembarking at the existing berth, had complained of allergy from coal and ore pollution. “The berthing facility will be ready in two months' time. We are engaged in talks with global cruise line operators to get make Goa a stopover on the cruise liner itinerary. Presently we are speaking to two operators and the response is good,” Pandian said. “During the last fiscal 22 cruise vessels called at the port with 19,650 passengers as against 21 vessels with 9,371 passengers during 2010-11,” Pandian said, adding that global cruise liner traffic comprised of nearly 350 luxury vessels which crisscrossed the coastal tourism hot spots across continents. Goa is one of India's most popular beach tourism destinations, but cruise liners had never favored dropping anchor, because of the pollution caused at the MPT port, which incidentally is one of India's biggest clearing houses for iron ore and coal, both of which result in hazardous dust and soot. “Due to the coal and ore handling some foreigners had complained of allergy when their cruise vessels berthed in Goa in the past, but the new berth will change all that,” Pandian said, adding that in order to end the pollution aspects once and for all we are working towards making the port's coal handling berth in to a covered operation.
