A new 50 berth marina is being planned in the Port Blair Inner Harbour in an effort to kick start tourism to the islands which has suffered badly due to the COVID-19 global pandemic.

Published 4 years ago

The Andaman & Nicobar Islands have always been a destination of choice for international sailors.  They are renowned for pristine clear waters, sandy beaches and spectacular coral life due to their geographical location in the Indian Ocean.

However, due to the current COVID-19 pandemic the tourism industry in these islands, as is the case around the world, has suffered to a great extent.

Kick-starting tourism

Now with the situation slowly coming under control and the focus back on revival of the economy in the country, considerable efforts are being made by the A & N Administration towards kick-starting tourism in the Islands, according to a news report in the local Andaman Islands newspaper.

At the moment any visiting yachts are required to stay at anchor due to the non-availability of a dedicated marina.

However, a proposed new marina will make visiting yachts more comfortable and provide the required logistics and repair facilities.

Construction of the 50 berth marina is planned for the inner part of Port Blair Harbor (Mithakhair) and is being driven by the Port Management Board.   It is hoped the marina will encourage more yachts to visit the Andamans and assist with organizing international events such as yacht carnivals.

Clearance procedures to be simplified

Procedures for obtaining clearances from multiple agencies for visiting vessels are also in the process of being simplified.

New Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs) are in the process of being finalized for visiting yachts and will be released shortly.  These SOPs will provide a single platform for visiting cruise vessels and yachts and will be an important step in easing the process of visiting the Andaman Islands.

In additional new infrastructure including hardware and software for a new E-Visa facilites at the Passenger Terminal at Haddo is in place and will soon be available.

Port charges also being reviewed

Port charges for visiting vessels are also being reviewed following a direction from the Ministry of Shipping/Tourism to make them more competitive and an announcement is expected soon.

Several other projects and infrastructure developments across the islands are being progressed by the Port Management Board (PMB) to encourage growth in the cruising industry.

A State of the Art Passenger terminal has also been proposed for Swaraj Dweep, one of the most sought after destinations for tourists visiting the islands.  The proposal for the construction of a modern passenger terminal has been approved by the Ministry of Shipping and a tenders for the terminal construction are now being invited.

There is also a proposal to upgrade existing passenger terminals at Haddo Wharf and Phoenix Bay to meet the berthing requirements of international cruiser vessels as well as pleasure craft.

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Anyone interested in updates on the project is asked to contact Ratham at Asia Pacific Superyachts who is helping to drive the project forward.

With thanks to Bob Mott in Phuket, Thailand  for providing the news item to Noonsite.

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Noonsite has not independently verified this information.

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Related Content:

Noonsite Andaman Islands Information

Related links:

Asia Pacific Superyachts