NEWPORT Maritime hopes to start a cruise
service in India next year, basing the ex-MV
Gemini (to be renamed MV Asian Pride) and
the ex-MV Crown Majesty (to be renamed MV
Asian Song) in Mumbai.
Operating under the brand name Royal Asian
Cruise Line, the new line would offer a sevennight
itinerary on the Mumbai-Goa-Maldives-
Colombo-Mumbai route between October and
April and an 11-night itinerary to Dubai from
May to September.
Newport Maritime, which is based in
Chennai and registered in the Bahamas, is
seeking concessions on corporate tax, customs
duty, excise duty, sales tax, port charges and
liquor licence and other incentives to begin
operations in 2014.
India’s shipping ministry is evaluating the
proposal but a decision on granting incentives
to the cruise ship operator rests with
other government departments, a ministry
spokesperson told local media.
Currently, no international ocean cruise lines
use an Indian port as a home port.
Louis Cruise Lines attempted a service based
in Cochin in 2010 but pulled out after 40 days,
citing the high charges levied by the harbour.
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