Visakhapatnam Port chairman Dr. M. Angamuthu, IAS, is currently in Miami, USA attending the coveted Seatrade Cruise Global 2026.

India has marked a strong presence at Seatrade Cruise Global 2026 with the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) nominating a high-level delegation from India.

Seatrade Cruise is said to be the world’s leading business-to-business event for the cruise industry and is being held at the Miami Beach Convention Center from April 13 to 16.

This event brings together global cruise lines, port authorities, tourism stakeholders and industry experts to deliberate on emerging trends, innovations and future growth of the cruise sector.

On the opening day, the delegation attended the inaugural session and participated in key panel discussions.

They also held meetings with officials of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), where India’s policy initiatives aimed at promoting cruise tourism were highlighted.

CLIA appreciated the Government of India’s efforts and expressed willingness to provide feedback for aligning India’s cruise ecosystem with global standards.

During the event, the delegation is engaging with leading global cruise operators including Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International, Carnival Cruise Line and MSC Cruises to explore opportunities for enhancing cruise calls at Indian ports and developing attractive itineraries.

The delegation will also visit major cruise infrastructure hubs such as Port Miami and Port Everglades, besides interacting with stakeholders including Disney Cruise Line and Inchcape Shipping Services.

These engagements are expected to provide insights into global best practices in cruise operations, infrastructure and passenger services.

Industry discussions at the event highlighted the rapid growth of cruise tourism in Asia, which is emerging as a key driver of global expansion.

With increasing demand for short-duration cruises and rising disposable incomes, the region is witnessing strong growth in passenger traffic.

Indian Cruise Opportunity

India, with a coastline of over 11,000 km, 12 major ports and extensive inland waterways, is positioning itself as a major cruise destination under initiatives such as the Cruise Bharat Mission and Maritime India Vision 2030.

Focus areas include development of coastal cruise circuits, expansion of river cruise tourism and leveraging island and coastal assets.

Apart from Dr. M. Angamuthu, IAS, Chairperson, Mumbai & Visakhapatnam Port, Mr Kasiviswanathan, IRSME, Chairperson, Cochin Port, Mr. Viswanathan, IAS, Chairperson, Chennai Port and Mr Opesh Kumar Sharma, Director (CS, MT, Media & ESRISE), MoPSW, along with representatives from tourism, customs, immigration and port sectors.