Paradip Port Authority and Odisha Government to Develop ₹1,500-Crore Cruise Terminal in Puri

Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal announced the development of an international cruise terminal in Puri, with an estimated investment of ₹1,500 crore. The project will be developed by the Paradip Port Authority (PPA) in partnership with the Odisha government.

The announcement was made while the minister chaired a meeting of his ministry’s consultative committee focused on strengthening coastal and cruise shipping. Minister of State for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Shantanu Thakur, along with eight members of parliament, attended the meeting.

During the gathering, the ministry outlined key targets under two proposed initiatives: the Coastal Cargo Promotion Scheme and the Cruise Bharat Mission. The government aims to double the share of coastal and inland waterway shipping in India's freight movement from the current 6 percent by 2047. Additionally, the administration targets attracting one million sea cruise passengers by 2029.

Highlighting the growth of the maritime sector over the past 12 years, the minister noted that coastal cargo handled at Indian ports has increased from 74 million metric tonnes to 177 million metric tonnes, marking a growth of approximately 140 percent. India possesses a coastline of more than 11,000 kilometres, which offers potential for long-distance freight transport via cleaner transport modes.

The Coastal Cargo Promotion Scheme and the Cruise Bharat Mission are together expected to generate more than 5.6 lakh jobs and save 16 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. Currently, 143 river cruise terminals and landing points are operational across the country.

In addition to the Puri cruise terminal, the minister highlighted the development of National Waterway-5 in Odisha, which is estimated to cost more than ₹13,000 crore. This waterway is designed to connect industrial and mining centres in the state, including Talcher and Kalinganagar, with ports along the eastern coast.

"Large-scale infrastructure investments such as the ₹1,500-crore Puri cruise terminal and the development of National Waterway-5 highlight the systematic expansion of India's transport and logistics ecosystem. By partnering with state governments and leveraging coastal potential, these initiatives create sustainable avenues for regional economic growth, job creation, and commercial connectivity across supply chains." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes