The rents for casinos, floating restaurants, river cruise boats, and fishing vessels have been revised by the captain of ports (CoP) in Goa. Additionally, mooring fees and jetty rental fees have also been revised by the department.

The government has introduced five categories of vessels now based on which the monthly mooring fees and rents will be required to be paid, as opposed to the previous fixed uniform monthly rate of Rs 10 per sq. meter.

The government must approve the proposed fees in order for them to go into effect. The new system is meant to boost department revenue. Ports captain Vikas Gaunekar stated that the department has given the business community and other stakeholders fifteen days to express their concerns, if any.

In order to moor in waters that are within the CoP’s jurisdiction, offshore casinos, offshore vessels, transhippers, and floating restaurants will need to pay Rs 500 per sq. meter every month. While the monthly mooring fees for a floating jetty has been set at Rs. 400 per sq. meter all other vessels would only be required to pay Rs. 50 per sq. meter.

“Earlier there were no slabs and all vessels paid the same amount of Rs 10 per sq. meter,” said Gaunekar, in a statement to The Times of India.

Additionally, the CoP has raised the upfront rental fees for using jetty space. Casinos will now be required to pay Rs 3,000 per sq. meter for office and reception space on the jetties, up from their previous rate of Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 per month. Operators of river cruises pay a substantially reduced rent of Rs 100 per sq. meter.

Meanwhile, Gaunekar further disclosed that fees for using riverine land for marine workshops, dry docks, fishing net unloading, and fishing cage installation have been raised. Traditional fishermen must pay Rs. 10 per sq. meter per month, whereas workshops are subject to the highest rate of Rs. 200 per sq. meter per month.

“Penalty at the rate of 5% shall be imposed for failure to renew permission before its expiry. For the annual renewal of permission, inspection fees of Rs 1,000 shall be charged,” he added.