Mumbai’s port, long a silent giant in the city’s sprawling landscape, is finally opening its gates to the public. Often veiled in mystery due to security concerns and stringent regulations, this iconic maritime hub, which has significantly shaped Mumbai’s trade and industrial history, has largely been off-limits to residents. However, as part of a new initiative, The Heritage Project, in collaboration with the Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT), is offering a rare opportunity for citizens to explore the port firsthand.
Starting from Saturday, visitors will be taken on guided tours in batches of 1,500 people, spanning from Saturday through Friday. The tours promise a deep dive into the workings of the port, from the dry docks where ships are built and maintained to the cruise terminals that welcome international visitors. These tours also offer insights into the port’s vital role in the country’s trade ecosystem. One of the key highlights of the tour is a visit to the dry docks, where ships, including a cruise ship and two coast guard vessels, are under maintenance. R D Tripathi, CEO of Mumbai Port Sustainability Foundation, highlighted that smaller ships continue to be built here, with some ship-breaking activities taking place, although the Alang shipyard in Gujarat handles the bulk of dismantling.
The tour will also take visitors to the international cruise terminal, a bustling gateway to Mumbai, and a newly constructed terminal expected to handle up to 5,000 passengers per ship. Two floors of this new terminal will be open to the public during the tour, providing a glimpse into Mumbai’s growing cruise industry. Beyond cruise ships, Mumbai Port handles an impressive amount of cargo, including petroleum, fertilizers, and cement, vital to the city’s infrastructure. As Tripathi elaborated, the port is responsible for offloading raw materials that fuel Mumbai’s factories and refineries, making it a crucial part of the city’s economic machinery.
The port’s history, however, dates back to the 1600s, with formal regulation beginning only in 1873. The 1950s marked a key turning point with the introduction of containerisation, which revolutionized global trade. However, by the 1970s, the port ceased handling containers to reduce the burden on Mumbai’s traffic and reduce pollution. The Jawaharlal Nehru Port in Navi Mumbai took over container handling, while Mumbai Port continued to deal with other essential cargo types. Participants will also be able to visit functional spaces like warehouses, ship berths, and memorials dedicated to firefighters who lost their lives in a 1944 dockyard explosion. The tour concludes with a visit to the Stad Amsterdam, a traditional three-masted clipper from the Netherlands, currently stationed at the port.
While the current tour is sold out, the Mumbai Port Trust and The Heritage Project are committed to expanding these tours in phases, allowing more residents to engage with Mumbai’s rich maritime legacy. As Tripathi noted, this initiative marks only the first step in what will be a broader effort to open up this integral part of Mumbai’s history to the public. Stay tuned for more opportunities to sail through Mumbai’s storied past.
