Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal flagged off the maiden International Cruise Vessel – MV Empress, India’s first international cruise vessel – from Chennai to Sri Lanka in Chennai on 5th June 2023.
- This marks the beginning of the international cruise tourism terminal at Chennai, built at a cost of 17.21 crore rupees, heralding a new age of cruise tourism and maritime trade in the country.
- Coinciding on the occasion of Environment Day, Mr Sonowal along with the port officials also planted 2,500 tree saplings at the port.
- The Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways has been taking multiple steps to develop the avenues of cruise tourism in the country and bolster opportunities for maritime trade of India.
- He said, the launch of the maiden cruise service between Chennai and Sri Lanka has ushered a new chapter in the cruise tourism sector in the country.
- The cruise service is the result of an MoU signed during the first Incredible India International Cruise Conference in 2022 between Chennai Port and Waterways Leisure Tourism Pvt Ltd to start domestic and international cruise service.
