Port Everglades cruise perspectives: A chat with new director Joseph Morris

Seven weeks into his job as port director, Joseph Morris, who came from Massport, said 'So far, it's been truly fantastic,' adding that 'In my 27-plus years in the industry, I haven't seen this level of engagement and support from the port community.'

Morris told Seatrade Cruise News Port Everglades employees are 'committed to providing great facilities and experiences for customers (cruise lines) and our guests (passengers).' He inherited a 'strong cruise team.' Last year, a dedicated cruise operations division was set up, led by Robert Moroney, and a fourth cruise services staff member was added.

Priorities

One top priority is engaging with stakeholders — cruise lines, local businesses, visitors, truckers, suppliers and others — as Port Everglades starts the fourth update of its master/vision plan, an exercise carried out every three years. More than 100 meetings will go into evolving that update, which is expected to be presented to the Broward County Commission in late first quarter 2025.

Capital projects are another priority. These include addressing infrastructure that's reaching the end of its life such as replacing bulkheads to support larger cruise ships, beautifying cruise terminals, bringing on shore power and facilitating LNG bunkering.

Shore power

The port just closed a request for information to supply shore power at all eight cruise terminals, with 13 respondents, and this will go into an RFP to be issued next year.

The plan to deliver up to 16 megawatts of electricity simultaneously to each of eight cruise terminals is a colossal project. That power's available from Florida Power & Light but distributing it is among the tasks to be worked out. The cost estimate is now about $21.5m per terminal, or $172m.

Port Everglades has applied for $127m from the Environmental Protection Agency's Clean Ports Program and could seek supplemental grants from the EPA's Diesel Emissions Reduction Act Program and the Maritime Administration's Port Infrastructure Development Program.

'We're grateful for the strong support at the federal level and we have a great Florida delegation' to make the case, Morris said.

He hopes to have shovels in the ground by first quarter 2026 but noted the completion/implementation timeline depends on factors including cruise ship operations.

Work letters for Cruise Terminals 21 and 29 are ongoing PHOTO: PORT EVERGLADES

Royal Caribbean extension and Terminal 29

Port Everglades has ongoing work letters with Royal Caribbean Group for Terminal 29 and with Carnival Corp. & plc for Terminal 21.

Terminal 29, the southernmost cruise berth, has challenges as the 'first in, last out' terminal. Facility upgrades would address its ability to serve more modern ships from Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea Cruises, and the port's channel deepening and widening project is key to that.

Morris said there could be movement on this work letter in the near future.

Option to extend

Royal Caribbean is currently seeking to exercise an option to extend its cruise terminal/berth user agreement, set to expire after September 2026, for four years, through September 2030, at the same terms as now.

While the company is only required to provide six months' advance notice to extend the term, it's opening 2026/27 cruises for sale and wants to ensure it has full-season berthing. Royal Caribbean also aims to hold off negotiating new minimum passenger guarantees since plans for Terminal 29's redevelopment will play into that.

At today's Broward County Commission meeting, consideration of Royal Caribbean's request was deferred to Sept. 17.

Carnival Corp.'s Terminal 21

Terminal 21, a dual-use facility for Carnival Corp. and the Balearia ferry, is a berth used by Princess Cruises. The new Sun-class ships fit there but an ongoing work letter addresses how to make the facility more efficient for bigger vessels.

Sun Princess is due to begin its inaugural season at the port on Oct. 10.

Shell bunker barge application

Silver Nova became the first cruise ship to bunker LNG at Port Everglades in April, an operation carried out by JAX LNG from Jacksonville. Two ships this coming fall/winter are LNG-capable: Sun Princess and Silver Ray, with future LNG vessels including Star Princess and Disney Destiny later in 2025.

Shell North America LNG has a pending application to provide a non-exclusive, unrestricted vessel bunkering service franchise. This is scheduled for a vote at the Oct. 8 Broward County Commission meeting.

New cruise ships

Morris looks forward to new arrivals including the upcoming season's Sun Princess and a parade of luxury ships such as Silver Ray, Crystal Cruises' return to the port on Nov. 9 and The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection's Ilma on Dec. 11. Everglades also bagged the inaugural season of the new Disney Destiny, coming in late 2025.

'Having a second homeporting ship at Port Everglades after less than a year speaks to Disney's success here,' Morris said.

'Still room to grow'

With cruise lines adding capacity and some ports running out of real estate for new terminals, there's concern about Florida being able to take all the new ships in future years.

At Port Everglades, facility upgrades will help and, outside of the peak winter season, 'there is plenty of berthing and still room to grow,' Morris said. Plus, terminal utilization can be increased with shorter cruises — he cited the trend of new ships on three-/four-day rotations — and mid-week sailings taking pressure off the weekends.