In line with government of India’s policy on ‘ease of doing business’ in ports, on arrival e-visa stamping facility has been extended to cruise tourists calling at New Mangalore Port Trust. This facility has been made available to cruise passengers for the first time in major ports of India.
The Bureau of Immigration for the first time has issued e-visa to six guests from UK, USA and Australia who have visited Mangaluru on board the vessel M S Seabourn Encore April 8.
To facilitate the above arrangement, New Mangalore Port has made all arrangements like LAN connection, work station, air condition system, CC camera, que-managers, 24-hour power supply and back-up facilities and handed them over to the Bureau of Immigration on March 14. Accordingly, the Bureau of Immigration, Mangaluru, has established the facilities for issue of e-visa to the cruise guests arriving in the cruise vessels scheduled for New Mangalore Port.
Chairman of NMPT has expressed his gratitude to M/s GAC Shipping India Pvt Ltd, the Indian agent representing the vessel M/s Holland America Group, the immigration authorities and other agencies who are associated in making this happen.
NMPT has been witnessing steady growth in cruise traffic during the last few years. During 2016-17, a record number of 28 vessels with 30,246 passengers called at the Port as against 23 vessels with 19,000 passengers in 2015-16.
