The revamped cruise terminal at Chennai Port is expected to open to passengers on June 20. A cruise ship arriving from Kochi will bring nearly 1,800 passengers who may be the first to use the modernised facilities.
The ₹29.8-crore renovation of the terminal began nearly a year ago and was completed after some delay. Work started in early 2025 following the launch of the Cruise Bharat Mission by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways.
The ship is scheduled to arrive around 7.30 a.m. on June 20. Passengers will disembark and later board again from 12 p.m., with departure at 6 p.m. The vessel will return on Monday morning.
The terminal capacity has increased from 1,000 to 1,800 passengers. New features include exclusive embarkation and disembarkation zones, 50 immigration counters, expanded elevators and escalators, Wi-Fi, and a designated customs zone. This marks the second modernisation round, focusing on the southern side after the 2018 work on the northern side.