The Mumbai port has handled 321 ships and nine million metric tons of cargo during the coronavirus-induced lockdown period, a top official said tonight.

The port is fully operational now, the official said.

Six cruise liners have arrived in the port since June 12 and some more are scheduled to dock to disembark Indian crew members stuck on these "floating luxury hotels" after the pandemic halted their operations at various places across the globe.

A total of 14 cruise liners are to dock at the Mumbai Port Trust to disembark 10,000 Indian crew members by June 28, Sanjay Bhatia said in a statement.

"During the lockdown period, Mumbai Port has continued to handle large range of cargo such as steel, sugar, pulses, fertilizers, cement, motor vehicles, crude oil and chemicals, among others, at its berths in Indira Docks, Marine Oil Terminal-Jawahar Dweep, Chemical Terminal-Pirpau, and midstream. The port handled 9.6 million metric tons of cargo from 321 vessels," Bhatia said.

He also said the port also continues to handle cruise liners at its facility, enabling signing off of Indian crew on board cruise ships around the world.

"The port has been in the forefront in supporting the seafarers by helping them sign off at Mumbai Port," Bhatia added.

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"Till date, six cruise vessels (have) berthed in the port and more than 1,000 Indian crew (have been) handled. One of the huge cruise ships -- Ovation of the Seas -- was (also) docked in the port," Bhatia added.

First Published:Jun 15, 2020 8:35 AM IST