Alan Lam reports

In an effort to encourage cruise tourism, the Indian government has extended the permit to allow foreign registered seaborne cruise vessels to operate along its coast by a further five years, till 2024.

The local cabotage law - which meant that only commercial vessels registered in India were allowed to ply on its costal routes for carrying cargo and passengers - was initially eased in February 2009 for a period of ten years to encourage cruise liners around the world to operate ships in India without a licence from the country’s maritime regulator, the director general of shipping.

In an attempt “to send good signal to the cruise community”, the tourism secretary, who led a task force on cruise tourism, recently recommended an extension of this cruise-specific cabotage relaxation beyond February 2019.

Upon this recommendation, according to a statement from the shipping ministry, the government has decided to relax cabotage restrictions for foreign-flagged cruise vessels by a further five years beyond 5 February 2019.

 The decision comes in the backdrop of an announcement by Costa Crociere to base its 1,300-pax Costa NeoClassica in Mumbai from 16 December this year. This strategic move by Costa has been widely interpreted as a major kick-start for cruise tourism in India.