Port Canaveral reverses decision on new cruise terminal location

Their Wednesday morning vote was in response to concerns about the potential impact on space industry growth by Florida Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue and Florida Commerce Secretary J. Alex Kelly.

Threat to pull funding

The officials had threatened to pull current and future port funding if plans for the cruise facility in that location went ahead.

A stunning development, the reversal halts plans for a multi-user facility to quickly accommodate the fast-growing cruise sector's needs. The aim had been to have the new site operational by late 2025, first to handle Norwegian Joy, and the plan was to eventually relocate MSC Cruises there.

Before North Cargo Berth 8 was identified in early May, Port Canaveral had announced the next cruise facility would go at the current Bluepoints Marina. But that would have taken longer to develop, and Port CEO Capt. John Murray explained at the time that cruise partners had 'immediate needs' to find berthing in Florida.

4-1 vote

The commissioners' 4-1 vote followed a short public discussion, with several expressing the need for 'flexibility' in decisions that impact state and national interests along with the importance of optimizing port assets.

Vice Chairman Wayne Justice voiced concern that not going ahead with the cruise facility may cost the state an asset. "There's not a lot of room for cruise ships in the state of Florida these days,' he said.

Chairman Micah Lloyd, who met with Secretary Perdue last week, said: 'We and staff do a great job of balancing the demand for berth space here at Port Canaveral, and there's no one interest, whether it be space, cargo, commercial fishing or cruising that's more important than the other. I ran for office on that platform, and I still stand on it.'

8.4m passengers in 2025

Some 95% of Port Canaveral's 2025 budget increase is due to to cruise growth, with a $22.9m cruise revenue hike projected next year. The port expects to go from 7.3m passengers in fiscal 2024 to 8.4m in 2025.

Cruise calls will rise from 913 to 1,023, 912 of those homeport calls. Next year there will be 84 days with five to six cruise ships, up from 39 this year, CFO Jeff Long said.

Parking is being expanded to accommodate Canaveral's huge drive market. With new garages opening at Cruise Terminals 6 and 10 this year, vehicle spaces will go from 6,800 now to 10,000, a 45% increase. 

LNG facility?

In expressing their concerns about North Cargo Berth 8, the Florida state officials also mentioned an LNG facility at the port.

Commissioner Fritz VanVolkenburgh suggested a more suitable location could be off port property, citing factors including safety concerns and user needs. He also urged a more aggressive timeline on enlarging the port's middle turning basin.

See follow-up story, 'Port Canaveral "thinking outside the box" after cruise terminal reversal'