Mumbai’s eastern harbour, long hidden behind port walls, now has a public front door. The Ballard Pier Downtown Experience Centre has opened in the historic Ballard Estate precinct, combining the Mumbai International Cruise Terminal with a dining, retail and leisure destination under one roof.

The project was envisioned by the Mumbai Port Authority (formerly Mumbai Port Trust) as part of its plan to open the harbour to the city and position Mumbai as India’s cruise gateway. It is operated by J M Baxi Ports & Logistics Private Limited under a 30-year concession, and is the first consumer-facing maritime venture for the J M Baxi Group, which has worked across India’s ports, logistics and shipping since 1916.

A terminal with two lifestyle levels above

The cruise terminal occupies the ground and first floors. The two levels above, at 17 and 21 metres above sea level, house the dining, shopping and lifestyle offer, with indoor and outdoor spaces behind a sea-facing glass façade overlooking the harbour. A seaside sit-out lets visitors watch cruise liners berth and tugs and cargo vessels cross the water, a view few public spaces on Mumbai’s eastern side have offered.

“Our vision was to create a waterfront destination that belongs unmistakably to Mumbai, with the sea as its protagonist and architecture as its frame. By reimagining an existing port structure, we have opened it up to the city as a place to gather, discover and linger,” says Rahul Mehta of RM Architects.

The brand line-up

The destination is opening in phases over the next two months. Dining and entertainment names include Blue Frog, Titlie, Ministry of Crab, Voya Sea Club, Sorano, Naia, Naarma, TaiChi Café, Nandan Coffee, Yeti, 24k Kraft Brewzz, Olive Garden, Wolf of Grain, Flings Gelato Bar and Harbour House.

Retail spans fashion, homegrown design, lifestyle and beauty, with Nicobar, India Circus by Krsnaa Mehta, Le Chatelard 1802, Perona, Sweet Dreams, Lukson, Columbia, Daily Objects, Mokobara, Tuuli by Pooja, Vanilla Moon, Mija, Mulmul, Nykaa Luxe, Unrush and Aiza. Rapsap and Urban Platter cover gourmet groceries.

Building a cruising culture

The opening coincides with growth in India’s cruise segment. Cordelia Cruises is introducing its second ship, Cordelia Sky, with a third to follow, and international lines are increasingly looking at India now that terminal infrastructure can support a premium guest experience.

“Our coastline can become one of the country’s most distinctive tourism assets, but that takes more than infrastructure; it takes experiences that draw people to the sea. The Ballard Pier is our answer: a terminal that welcomes the world, and a destination that invites Mumbai to rediscover its waterfront,” says Aditi Kotak, Director at Ballard Pier Private Limited.

Sustainability and staffing

The Ballard Pier is a zero liquid discharge (ZLD) terminal and, through a third-party partnership, will source 50 per cent of its energy from solar power. In-house composting and used-oil collection are available to food and beverage partners from day one. The workforce is currently 50 per cent women, with a target of 70 per cent.

Address: 1, Shoorji Vallabhdas Road, Ballard Estate, Fort, Mumbai 400001. theballardpier.com

Images: courtesy of The Ballard Pier / Tandem Communication