The Cruise Hive Cruise Ship Awards are an annual event recognizing the best in the industry, as voted on by Cruise Hive readers. One of the most closely contested categories is Best Homeport, which recognizes the top ports that serve as the starting point for cruise vacations. 

“We’re thrilled to have earned this valued distinction three years in a row,” stated Capt. John Murray, Port Canaveral CEO. “What an honor for us and our cruise partners to be so well recognized for providing a high quality guest experience. It’s tremendous gratitude of our efforts from the millions of cruise guests sailing from Port Canaveral year after year.”

Port Canaveral, FL  – Norwegian Cruise Lines’ brand-new ship, Norwegian Prima, has arrived at Port Canaveral to begin an inaugural season of voyages through March 2023 from her new homeport at Port Canaveral. Norwegian Prima is the first of six new “Prima Class” vessels for Norwegian Cruise Line, the brand’s first new class of vessels in nearly ten years.
 
“We are thrilled to welcome home Norwegian Prima to Port Canaveral, the first ship in an all-new class for Norwegian Cruise Line,” stated Port CEO, Captain John Murray. “We have a great partnership with NCLH and this important decision to homeport their newest, most innovative ship at our port underscores our commitment to support the expectations of our valued cruise partners.”
 
 

Port Canaveral, FL – Port Canaveral recently marked the arrival of Royal Caribbean International’s Jewel of the Seas to her new homeport for the 2022-2023 winter season.  The deployment of the Radiance-class ship marks the fourth Royal Caribbean asset to be homeported at Port Canaveral.
 
“We are thrilled to have Jewel of the Seas at Port Canaveral and very excited to welcome her as our fourth Royal Caribbean International homeported ship,” stated Capt. John Murray, Port CEO. “Our partners at RCI have entrusted us with some of their most valuable assets and we couldn’t be more proud.”
 

Port Canaveral, FL – October 21, 2022 – Port Canaveral has signed an agreement with the Liebherr Group to acquire another mobile harbor crane from the company to support the Port’s growing cargo operations.  The 320-foot-tall Liebherr LMH 600 is the second mobile harbor crane to be deployed at Port Canaveral and is part of a new mobile harbor crane product line recently launched by Liebherr. The Port’s first, a Liebherr LMH 600, was entered into service in early 2019.

Port Canaveral, FL – October 6, 2022 – MSC Cruises has announced it will homeport one of its largest and most advanced cruise ships to Port Canaveral in 2023, offering new opportunities for guests to experience the cruise line’s latest vision for enhanced Caribbean cruising. The MSC Seashore will sail from Port Canaveral beginning with the Winter 2023-2024 season as part of a larger expansion featuring a record five ships sailing from U.S. ports.

Port Canaveral, FL – August 25, 2022 – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Port Security Grant Program (PSGP) has awarded $1,941,285 in federal grant funding for several projects at Port Canaveral to protect the Port’s critical infrastructure from terrorism and other security threats.

On May 12, the Coalition for America’s Gateways and Trade Corridors (CAGTC) membership elected three officers and six directors to its Board as the group gathered in Washington to engage in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law implementation process. Paul Anderson, President & CEO of Port Tampa Bay, is now CAGTC’s fifth Chairman, while former CAGTC Treasurer Rick Cameron, Deputy Executive Director of Planning and Development, Port of Long Beach was elected Vice Chairman and Erin Aleman, Executive Director, Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, was elected Treasurer. Each officer will serve a three-year term. Capt John Murray, Chief Executive Officer and Port Director, Canaveral Port Authority was re-elected to serve another three-year term on the Board of Directors.

With shovels in hand, officials from the Canaveral Port Authority joined with leaders from federal, state, and municipal government, along with business and space industry representatives to ceremonially break ground on a massive $48 million project to rebuild Port Canaveral’s North Cargo Berth 3 (NCB3).

Port Canaveral, FL – March 11, 2022 – Canaveral Port Authority CEO and Port Director Capt. John W. Murray was elected Chairman of the Board of the National Cargo Bureau, Inc. (NCB) during the organization’s 71st Annual Meeting of Directors.

Port Canaveral, FL – January 24, 2022 - The Canaveral Port Authority (CPA) and Volusia County’s Division of Economic Development have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that establishes a working relationship promoting each other’s geographical and business advantages. The agreement aims to attract more global business by bringing more Florida-bound cargo to the region.

Port Canaveral has been voted the Best Cruise Homeport in the United States of 2021 and comes out over other nearby Florida ports. The port received the most votes in Cruise Hive’s annual Cruise Ship Awards.

At first glance, the Seaport Canaveral Corporation, LLC fuel terminal located on the north side of Port Canaveral may look like a typical fuel depot in any other port around the U.S. But, there’s nothing typical about this terminal operations center.

Port Canaveral’s mobile harbor crane is back at work for a second time, lifting universal composite submarine panels for client, CPK Manufacturing LLC. The camels provide the U.S. Navy with a standardized energy-absorbing berthing solution for waterfront infrastructures.

Port Canaveral Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) #136 has expanded with the addition of Raider Outboards, Inc., as a new FTZ operator. The Titusville, Florida based specialized outboard motor manufacturer recently received approval for its expansion from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Canaveral Port Authority Board of Commissioners in support of the company’s growth as a supplier to NATO countries overseas.

MSC Cruises Divina made history when it departed Port Canaveral on its three-night inaugural sailing to the Bahamas and Caribbean. MSC Divina is Port Canaveral’s newest homeported cruise ship offering three, four and seven-night eastern and western Caribbean itineraries.

The Canaveral Port Authority has been awarded a total of $1.392 million in federal and state funding to help strengthen Port security operations.

Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced $250 million in funding for Florida’s ports to assist in recovery from decreased revenue in 2020, and to invest in infrastructure at Florida’s ports. Florida’s ports generate an economic impact of $117.6 billion and support 900,000 jobs.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (July 29, 2021) – Governor Ron DeSantis and Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Kevin Thibault today announced allocation plans for the $250 million in COVID-related financial relief for Florida’s seaports, spreading economic relief across the state’s 15 seaports.

Port Canaveral, FL – Maine Maritime Academy (MMA) cadets and their faculty sailed into Port Canaveral aboard the U.S. Maritime Service Training Ship State of Maine, marking the first arrival of the vessel at the Port. The TS State of Maine with 177 MMA cadets on-board is on the second of three training cruises for 2021, which began on July 7 from its homeport in Castine, Maine. The training cruise is critical sea time for cadets to experience shipboard life and gain hands-on ship training and experience.

The Canaveral Port Authority is expecting boat trailer parking at Port Canaveral will be in high demand again during the 2021 Federal Atlantic Recreational Red Snapper Season – July 9, 10, and 11, 2021 (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) which opens at 12:01 AM on July 9th, and closes at 12:01 AM on July 12th.

The second class of the Canaveral Port Authority Board of Commissioners’ student Junior Ambassadors has been named.

In keeping with maritime tradition, Port Canaveral’s new high-tech firefighting vessel Fireboat 2 was officially christened and commissioned into service during a ceremony at the Port that included state and local elected officials, area dignitaries, and representatives of fire rescue departments from towns and municipalities located in the Canaveral Port District.

Skies above Port Canaveral will light up with color and sound on July 2nd for “Smoke on the Water & Fire in the Sky” fireworks celebration being hosted by the Cove Merchants Association at Port Canaveral. The event at Port Canaveral is the first of three nights of area fireworks celebrations that are the hallmark of the Space Coast’s popular Independence Day events. The July 3 fireworks event will be held at Cocoa Beach, followed by July 4 fireworks at Cocoa Village.

GT USA completed the loading of the single largest export of containers onto a vessel at its terminal on June 16 at Port Canaveral.

Port Canaveral, FL – June 2, 2021- Port Canaveral today released its plan for public access to the Port for viewing the arrival of Carnival Cruise Line’s newest and most innovative ship, Mardi Gras, scheduled to arrive early Friday morning, June 4 to new Cruise Terminal 3 (CT3). Subject to change, the Mardi Gras is expected to pass Jetty Park by 6:15 a.m. and proceed to the Middle Turning Basin, where she will turn around and transit to CT3 by 7 a.m. Visitors may view the Mardi Gras’ arrival and from Jetty Park, or from The Cove district.

Port Canaveral has worked with the State of Florida to establish an on-site COVID-19 vaccination center at the Port.

Port Canaveral, along with Parrish Medical Center and Canaveral Fire Rescue, sponsored a drive through vaccine clinic for Port workers and anyone in the Port community over the age of 18.

Port Canaveral is the first U.S. port to sponsor COVID-19 vaccine distribution to port workers and vessel crew members in response to a Florida Public Health Advisory approved by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Surgeon General Scott A. Rivkees, MD issued on April 29 expanding vaccine eligibility to include individuals who are in the state for purpose of providing goods or services for the benefit of residents and visitors of the State of Florida.

Port Canaveral today released its plan for public access to the Port for viewing the rescheduled April 23 liftoff of SpaceX’s Crew-2, the second operational crewed mission to the International Space Station. The launch is currently scheduled for Frday, April 23 at 5:49 a.m. from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center north of the Port.

The Florida Department of Health in Brevard County (FDOH-Brevard), in conjunction with Brevard County Emergency Management, will expand hours for its COVID-19 vaccination efforts to provide no-appointment-necessary vaccinations at a drive-through site at 2555 Judge Fran Jamieson  Way in Viera beginning at 4 p.m. Thursday, April 15.

The Hapag-Lloyd container ship Al Bahia arrived at Port Canaveral to begin the required conversion process to reflag the vessel in the United States. The Al Bahia will be renamed the Delaware Express and is the first of five Hapag-Lloyd container vessels owned and operated by the global shipping giant scheduled to undergo the U.S. reflagging process in Port Canaveral over the next several months. Once the U.S. reflagging process is completed, each vessel will be included in the federal Maritime Security Program (MSP) and made available for use when necessary by the U.S. government while it continues to operate commercially in international trade.

Today, Governor Ron DeSantis, Attorney General Ashley Moody and Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Secretary Kevin J. Thibault, P.E. held a roundtable discussion with cruise industry executives and employees to highlight the importance of this critical industry to Florida’s economy.

Port Canaveral is giving local students the opportunity to become young ambassadors for the upcoming 2021-2022 school year. The Canaveral Port Authority Board of Commissioners’ Junior Ambassador Program will enable students at nine public high schools and two private high schools within the Canaveral Port Authority Special District to share career opportunities at the Port and provide workforce development and community outreach. Sophomores and Juniors in Brevard County public schools, private schools and home-schoolers are eligible to apply for this program.

Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis has recommended Florida’s seaports be provided a portion of the state’s COVID-19 federal relief funds to help them recover from the economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. In a letter to Florida Senate President Wilton Simpson and Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives Chris Sprowls, the Governor recommended nearly $260 million be provided to seaports from federal funds the state is expected to receive from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 signed into law recently.

Port Canaveral, FL – The Canaveral Port Authority announced today it will waive the standard application fee for businesses located in Brevard County seeking to establish a designated usage driven site within Port Canaveral’s Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) #136.  The fee waiver is effective immediately and will be available to applicants through December 31, 2021.

Port Canaveral, FL – Dec. 11, 2020 – Yara North America, a leading crop nutrition solutions provider, has launched an expansion of its southeast U.S. distribution of premium crop nutrition products from Port Canaveral in partnership with Ambassador Services International.

Port Canaveral, Fla. – December 7, 2020 – A.R. Savage & Son, a fourth-generation, family owned firm is expanding geographically to begin operations at Port Canaveral on Florida’s east coast after 75 years operating in the wider Tampa Bay region. The new Port Canaveral service gives the legacy shipping agent the opportunity to serve ships and cargoes on both sides of Central Florida, one of the fastest-growing regions in the country.

Port Canaveral, FL  – Port Canaveral has received the U.S. Coast Guard’s 2020 Rear Admiral Richard E. Bennis Award for maritime security excellence The Port received notification of the award from Admiral Karl L. Schultz, the Commandant of the United States Coast Guard. Port Canaveral was selected as the national Port Authority recipient “for demonstrating the industry’s overall commitment to maritime security and safeguarding the nation’s vital Marine Transportation System.”

The Canaveral Port Authority (CPA) and the Central Florida Expressway Authority (CFX) have executed an “Interlocal Agreement for Electronic Parking Fee Collection” to implement the E-PASS automated system at the Port that will enable customers to use contactless payment for parking at Port Canaveral-owned parking facilities with an E-PASS prepaid account. The CPA Board of Commissioners voted to unanimously approve the agreement at its October 28, 2020 regular meeting followed by the unanimous approval by the CFX Board at its November 12, 2020 meeting.

Port Canaveral today released its plan for public access to the Port for viewing the scheduled Nov 15 liftoff of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, the second crewed mission launched from the U.S. since 2011. The launch is currently scheduled for Saturday, Nov 15th at 7:49 p.m. from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center north of the Port.
Access to popular launch viewing points at Port Canaveral will be limited, and traffic in and around the Port will be controlled.

News article from The Maritime Executive magazine:
In a new report based on discussions with maritime stakeholders, Federal Maritime Commissioner Louis E. Sola has catalogued the economic impact of COVID-19 on Florida's cruise sector and its seaports. The effects of the cruise shutdown have been serious for cruise operators, but the collateral damage has also extended to port authorities and cities throughout the state.

Port Canaveral, FL  – Port Canaveral today joined with 69 port leaders representing a broad coalition of U.S. ports, state port authorities, and port associations to urge Members of Congress to provide emergency relief for America’s ports which have been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fort Lauderdale, FL  —  MSC Cruises will begin sailing from Port Canaveral for the first time this Winter and offer a year-round presence, starting with the modern and glamorous MSC Seaside from November – March 2021, followed by the elegant MSC Divinia, starting at the end of March. The arrival marks a significant milestone for both MSC Cruises and Port Canaveral, as the port welcomes an MSC Cruises ship for the first time. Guests eager to sail from the sunshine state to the Caribbean and The Bahamas can experience MSC Cruises’ signature European style and enjoy increased flexibility with three-, four- and seven-night cruise options departing on Sundays and Thursdays. 

Port Canaveral, FL  – Port Canaveral Foreign Trade Zone #136 operator American Cruise-Aid Logistics, Inc. has increased its operating footprint at the Port with the opening of a new 9,500-square-foot warehouse building located adjacent to its current 15,000-square-foot facility on Atlantis Road in Cape Canaveral. The full-service freight forwarding and transportation company recently received approval for its expansion from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Canaveral Port Authority Board of Commissioners.
 

Port Canaveral - As part of its resumed operations, in Spring 2021 MSC Divina will begin cruising from Port Canaveral - a new easily accessible homeport for MSC Cruises. Today, the Swiss-based cruise line also reconfirmed its March – November 2021 program, which will include two new ships currently under construction and a series of new or enriched itineraries and homeports, including a new home for MSC Divina in Central Florida.

“We’re very pleased to welcome MSC Cruises USA to Port Canaveral and excited to be the homeport for the beautiful MSC Divina,” said Port CEO Capt. John Murray.  “This exciting new partnership is an endorsement of our commitment to excellence and the investments we’ve made in our cruise operations. We’re looking forward to working together with our new cruise partner providing the best possible experience for their guests.”

 

Port Canaveral, FL  – Port Canaveral today released its plan for public access to the Port for viewing the scheduled May 27 liftoff of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, the first crewed mission launched from the U.S. since 2011. The launch is currently scheduled for Wednesday, May 27^th at 4:33 p.m. from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center north of the Port.  

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and in alignment with federal and state guidance to minimize the potential for virus spread, access to popular launch viewing points at Port Canaveral will be limited, and traffic in and around the Port will be controlled.
 

Florida Governor DeSantis issues an Executive Order which pertains to recreational boating restrictions and social distancing for recreational vessels.
 

Port Canaveral boat ramps are open and parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis. All users are reminded to follow the recommendations of the CDC and FL Dept. of Health for social distancing, and the Governor’s Executive Order limiting gatherings of 10 or more people to limit potential spread and exposure to COVID-19 virus.

Read the latest Marine Safety Information Bulletin from the U.S. Coast Guard

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that in an abundance of caution, the Board of Commissioners of the Canaveral Port Authority have cancelled the Commission Meeting scheduled for Wednesday, March 25, 2020, at 9:00 A.M.
 

As we work with our cruise partners to accommodate their berthing needs, there are currently six cruise ships at lay berth at Port Canaveral with a seventh ship anchored off-shore.  These are Disney, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, and Carnival cruise ships, which are generally homeported at Port Canaveral, and none of the vessels has passengers on board.

Port Canaveral is at normal operations and continuing to closely monitor the COVID-19 developing situation. Yesterday’s decision by cruise lines to voluntarily and temporarily suspend cruise ship operations from U.S. ports will have profound impact, especially for a cruise port like ours. 

Port Canaveral, FL – The Canaveral Port Authority has been awarded a $14.1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Port Infrastructure Development Program to modernize and expand Port Canaveral’s North Cargo Berth 3.
 

Port Canaveral, FL – Firefighters from several Space Coast departments were at the Port Canaveral Maritime Firefighting Academy this week for three days of hands-on exercises and classroom training on firefighting techniques for liquefied natural gas (LNG), the marine fuel that will power the next generation of cruise ships. The Port’s Firefighting Academy training facility was expanded earlier this year to include LNG training for firefighters and shipboard personnel in preparation for the arrival of the first LNG-powered cruise ship at Port Canaveral later this year.
 

Port Canaveral, FL – Construction to complete boat trailer parking areas near the Port’s new Cruise Terminal 3 complex is expected to be finished by mid-February. Public boat trailer parking has remained open during all phases of construction with no reduction in the number of boat trailer parking spaces.

Port Canaveral, FL – Crew members from Royal Caribbean Cruise Line’s Port Canaveral-based Harmony of the Seas will join volunteers for a beach cleanup at Jetty Park from 10 a.m. to around 1 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 2.
 

In observance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.. Day, Port Canaveral administrative offices will be closed on Monday, January 20.  Administrative offices will resume regular business hours at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, January 21.


 

Port Canaveral, FL – Port Canaveral has been named “Best Cruise Homeport in the U.S.” in Cruise Hive’s sixth annual Cruise Ship Awards readers’ survey, edging out of thirteen other U.S. homeports, with thousands of votes in the category. The Best Cruise Ship U.S. Homeport category was added to the survey for the first time.
 

Port Canaveral, FL – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Canaveral Lock lockmaster Daniel Hazebrook announced plans to conduct needed repairs and maintenance on the Canaveral Lock. According to the Corps, the work is necessary to repair aging and damaged infrastructure in addition to improving public and vessel safety. The Lock will be closed and dewatered from Jan. 1, 2020, through March 31, 2020
 

Port Canaveral, FL –  The Florida Ocean Alliance (FOA) is drafting a strategic plan to address Florida’s critical ocean and coastal issues and to recommend actions to help protect its resources for the future. The FOA’s efforts are at the direction of the Florida Legislature and the alliance is working closely with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
 
 

Port Canaveral, FL – Builders of a specialized fireboat for Port Canaveral have released details about the high-tech vessel, which will provide marine firefighting and rescue capabilities for the Port and surrounding communities.
 

Port Canaveral, FL – British cruise line Marella Cruises has chosen Port Canaveral for its first cruise homeport in the United States. The cruise line’s Marella Discovery will sail from the Port beginning in Summer 2021, offering four new itineraries with 11 port-of-call visits.
 

Port Canaveral, FL – Port Canaveral will be a popular stop for port-of-call cruise ships during the last months of 2019, with 38 vessels scheduled to visit the world’s second-busiest cruise port between now and Dec. 31.
 

Port Canaveral, FL – The economic impact of Port Canaveral operations was revealed today in the results of a new economic impact study released at the Canaveral Port Authority’s Board of Commissioners meeting.  The Port’s total economic contribution throughout Florida equaled $3.9 billion in output, 32,650 jobs and $1.3 billion in wage income.
 

Due to additional work at the Cruise Terminal 3 construction site,  the route to the Freddie Patrick Park boat ramps has been temporarily reconfigured.

Port Canaveral cargo operations notched another milestone as the brand-new chemical/oil products tanker Hafnia Guangzhou made its inaugural North American call last week, arriving at the Port’s North Cargo Pier 2 to discharge 375,000 barrels of jet fuel at the Seaport Canaveral, USA fuel storage terminal.
 

Effective 8:00 a.m. 02 September 2019, Hurricane Condition ZULU will be set in the Port of Canaveral.  No vessel, regardless of size or service, will be allowed to transit through the port, and all commercial vessels over 500 gross tons are prohibited from remaining in the port.

Port Canaveral, FL –  Port Canaveral was voted “Best Cruise Port” in Global Traveler magazine’s annual readers’ survey and awarded the 2019 Leisure Lifestyle Award by the popular business and leisure luxury travel publication last week. 
“We strive to provide our cruise partners and their valued guests with the best possible cruise port experience,” Port Director and CEO Capt. John Murray said. “On behalf of our employees, and this community, Port Canaveral is proud to receive this prestigious award, and thanks Global Traveler and its readers for acknowledging our efforts and commitment.”

 

Port Canaveral, FL - The Canaveral Port Authority and Disney Cruise Line have reached a new 20-year agreement to expand operations and make Port Canaveral home for two of Disney Cruise Line’s three new ships.  
The new operating agreement will begin June 1, 2019, and replaces an existing Marine Terminal Agreement set to expire on December 31, 2027. It provides a 20-year primary term with two additional five-year renewals. Initially, the call guarantee remains at 150 calls, but increases to 180 calls in 2023 and up to 216 calls in 2024 through the remainder of the 20-year term.
 

Royal Caribbean International cruise ships Harmony of the Seas and Mariner of the Seas received a “royal” sendoff on Monday as the giant vessels sailed from their new homeport of Port Canaveral. Tugboats provided a water salute as a the 1,188-foot long Harmony, the second-largest cruise ship in the world, glided past hundreds of cheering spectators who gathered at Jetty Park for a “wave-out” event for the Port’s newest arrivals. Onlookers waved bandanas and some held up signs with large letters that spelled out “Bon Voyage.”
 

Port Canaveral, FL -- U.S. Rep. Bill Posey (FL-08) praised the soon-to-be-completed Canaveral Harbor Sand Bypass Project (Phase 5) as a unified effort that keeps Port Canaveral’s economic engine running while restoring 3.5 miles of shoreline south of Canaveral Inlet to the pre-inlet levels of the early 1950s. 
 

Port Canaveral, FL – Port Canaveral cargo operations reached another high point recently with the arrival of the Aframax tanker ProStar at North Cargo Berth 2 for its first delivery in North America to discharge 442,131 barrels of jet fuel at Seaport Canaveral. Built in 2018, the 820-foot-long, 144-foot-wide ProStar, with a crew of 23 and a summer dead weight tonnage of 115,000 tons, is the first Aframax vessel to visit the Port.
 

Public boat trailer parking near Freddie Patrick Park Boat Ramp has been changed due to construction of new Cruise Terminal 3.

Port Canaveral, FL – Work is underway at Port Canaveral for wider roads, improved traffic signals and a new “wayfinding” system around the Port to accommodate increased vehicle traffic generated by the Port’s operations growth. The roadway upgrades will improve traffic flow and promote traffic safety around the Port’s northside cruise terminals and growing cargo operations. The project is part of a comprehensive port-wide intermodal road improvements project plan to revamp Port Canaveral’s roadway infrastructure to support heavy loading equipment and trucks, relieve congestion, improve safety and expand efficiency and capacity of Port roadways.
 

Port Canaveral, FL –  A new mobile harbor crane for Port Canaveral arrived today at the Port’s North Cargo Berth 5. The mammoth crane arrived early Friday morning aboard the heavy load carrier, Happy Dover.  The 270-foot tall Liebherr LHM 600 – the largest mobile harbor crane in the United States – will be operational in the second quarter of 2019.  It joins two 270-foot-tall, ship-to-shore cranes in service at the Port since 2014.

The Canaveral Port Authority purchased the mobile harbor crane to accommodate the Port’s growing diverse cargo throughput, adding handling flexibility and extended lift capability, including heavy cargo and space components for the Port’s cargo operations.
 

Port Canaveral, FL – The Canaveral Port Authority’s planned issuance of a series of bonds for approximately $75 million in proceeds has been reviewed and assigned favorable ratings by two nationally recognized statistical rating organizations (NRSROs).

Fitch Ratings has assigned an ‘A’ rating to Canaveral Port Authority (CPA) port revenue bonds, Series 2018 A&B.  Fitch has also affirmed its rating on $63 million in outstanding Port Facilities Revenue Bonds.  The Rating Outlook on all bonds is Stable.
Moody’s Investors Service has assigned an ‘A2’ rating to the CPA’s issuance of Port Improvement Revenue Bonds, Series 2018A (AMT) and Port Improvement Revenue bonds, Series 2018B (Non-AMT).  Moody’s also affirmed the A2 ratings on Port Canaveral’s outstanding Port Revenue Bonds Series 2016C and Series 2016D.  The outlook is Stable.
 

CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE press release - (Dec. 5, 2018) – In a nod to Carnival Cruise Line’s rich history as America’s Cruise Line, the line announced today that it will name its new XL-class ship to be delivered in 2020 Mardi Gras™, bringing back to the fleet the name of the first Carnival Cruise Line® ship that entered service in 1972 and started the wave of cruise vacation popularity in the United States. 

In keeping with its tradition of fun, Carnival revealed the name to a nationwide television audience on the popular game show Wheel of Fortune on its signature Puzzleboard at the conclusion of the broadcast.
 

Port Canaveral, FL – The largest sand bypass project in the Port Canaveral area in more than two decades will get underway this week.  The five-month effort will move approximately 1.34 million cubic yards of sand to replenish 3.5 miles of beach south of Port Canaveral. The Canaveral Harbor Federal Sand Bypass Project (Phase V) will pump sand taken from the shoreline north of Port Canaveral along Cape Canaveral Air Force Station to beaches south of the Canaveral Inlet, from Jetty Park to a half-mile south of the Cocoa Beach Pier. Locally sponsored by the Canaveral Port Authority, the $18 million federally-authorized project is scheduled to begin this week and last through late April 2019. 
 

Port Canaveral, FL – Waterside construction at Port Canaveral’s new state-of-the-art Cruise Terminal 3 is underway and a new 1,309-foot-long berth is about to take shape with the arrival of the first steel for the bulkhead wall. Intermarine LLC’s Ocean Globe, a 545-foot multi-purpose U.S.-flagged vessel, arrived at the Port this week to discharge 261 steel pipes ranging in length from 110.5 feet to 126 feet. The 36-inch diameter pipe piles will be part of an A-frame structure under construction at the berth that will anchor to the waterfront bulkhead wall.
 

Port Canaveral, FL – Port Canaveral today announced record-breaking results from all operations, and new high-water marks for the Port’s major business lines of cruise and cargo.
 In year-end financials provided to the Canaveral Port Authority Board of Commissioners at its regular monthly meeting on Wednesday, Port CEO John Murray and Chief Financial Officer Mike Poole reported that the Port earned $103.75 million in total revenue for Fiscal Year 2018.
 

PORT CANAVERAL -- Port Canaveral representatives met with U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao in Washington, D.C., to brief the Secretary on Port Canaveral initiatives and the Port's strategic significance to the Central Florida region.

Port Canaveral – Port Canaveral is reconfiguring its public boat trailer parking near the Freddie Patrick Park Boat Ramp to accommodate construction of a state-of-the art Cruise Terminal 3. Access to the public boat ramps remains unchanged, as well as the trailer washdown facilities. The boat ramp will remain open during all phases of construction with no reduction in boat-trailer parking spaces.

Port Canaveral, FL – The Canaveral Port Authority has been awarded a total of $1.149 million in federal and state grants for Port security operations and cybersecurity systems. The Port received a $1 million Port Security Grant Program (PSGP) award for Fiscal Year 2018 by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and a $149,000 grant for Fiscal Year 2019 from the Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development (FSTED) program.
 

Port Canaveral - August 30, 2018 – Norwegian Sun will complete her first season of cruises to Cuba from Port Canaveral, Florida with her last sailing on September 3, 2018 before she moves to Miami, Florida for select sailings then repositioning to South America for her fall/winter season.

Port Canaveral, FL – Aug. 29, 2018 – The Canaveral Port Authority (CPA) Board of Commissioners took the final step today and voted unanimously to approve the terms of a long-term agreement with Carnival Cruise Line, paving the way for Carnival to homeport its newest and largest ship at Port Canaveral.
 
“I am extremely excited about this next chapter for Port Canaveral, and extraordinarily proud of the Port’s leadership team, staff and our cruise partners who have brought us to where we are today. Carnival’s commitment to our Port and their multiple decades of operations here is a tribute to our entire Port community,” said Wayne Justice, Chairman, Canaveral Port Authority Board of Commissioners.
 
 

PORT CANAVERAL, FLA. (Aug. 21, 2018) – The Canaveral Port Authority and Carnival Cruise Line, the world’s largest cruise operator, have reached an agreement in principle on a new state-of-the-art terminal able to accommodate Carnival’s new 180,000-ton ship, the largest ever constructed for the line, set to debut in 2020.
The terms of the agreement are expected to be included on the agenda of the Canaveral Port Authority Board of Commissioners’ meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018. If approved, the agreement will clear the way for Carnival Cruise Line’s plans to homeport the as-yet-unnamed 5,286-lower berth ship at Port Canaveral, further bolstering the line’s position as the Port’s number one cruise operator.
 

Port Canaveral, FL – In keeping with Port Canaveral’s commitment to environmental stewardship, a new visitor education program was initiated at the Port aimed at protecting wild dolphins swimming in waters surrounding the Port. 

Port Canaveral, FL – Moody’s Investors Service has rated Canaveral Port Authority ‘A2 Stable’ in its annual Credit Opinion.  The Moody’s bond rating opinion released late last week acknowledges the Port’s healthy financial metrics, established competitive position as a cruise port, and revenue diversity from cargo operations.

Port Canaveral, FL – Canaveral Port Authority (CPA) completed the purchase of 9.61 acres of Brevard County-owned land at Port Canaveral’s Jetty Park. With the $862,950 purchase complete as approved unanimously by Port Authority Commissioners in May and accepted by the Brevard County Commission on July 10, the Port Authority now owns all 45 acres of Jetty Park, a popular beachfront public recreational park at the Port’s east end.

 

Port Canaveral, FL – July 26, 2018 – Vehicle imports and exports at Port Canaveral revved up this week with the arrival and departure of the post-Panamax (PPX) shipping vessel Höegh Trotter and another RO/RO vessel, the NYK Auriga Leader.  Höegh Autoliners’ massive Höegh Trotter, the third PPX vessel to visit the Port, discharged new autos at the 16-acre AutoPort Canaveral, LLC facility as the nearby Auriga Leader loaded vehicles bound for Central and South America and the Caribbean.

 

Port Canaveral, FL – Work is under way on a multi-purpose cargo berth project at Port Canaveral that also will accommodate facilities for the growing commercial space industry. Scheduled for completion in mid-2019, North Cargo Berth 8 (NCB8) on the Port’s north side will provide the infrastructure and capabilities to handle a growing portfolio of heavy and oversized cargo, including commercial spacecraft components
 

Port Canaveral, FL – Canaveral Port Authority employees gathered on the front lawn of the Port’s Maritime Center to raise a commemorative flag in what will be the first of a series of events acknowledging sixty-five years of Port Canaveral history, growth and success.  

Port Canaveral, FL – Royal Caribbean International’s (RCI) Enchantment of the Seas was welcomed back to Port Canaveral today launching a new season of three and four-night cruises to the Bahamas from the Port. Port Canaveral was the homeport for the 2,950 passenger Enchantment until 2016.  All Enchantment sailings from Port Canaveral feature a port-of-call at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s private island. 

Port Canaveral, FL –  The U.S. Navy’s newest fast-attack submarine, the USS Indiana (SSN 789), will be commissioned at Naval Ordinance Test Unit (NOTU) on September 29, 2018.  The historic commissioning event is expected to draw attendance by senior military leaders, elected and appointed governmental officials and numerous business and community leaders. A series of commissioning-related events will be held at Port Canaveral prior to and after the commissioning ceremony. 
 

Port Canaveral, FL – The Canaveral Harbor and Canaveral Sand Bypass projects will receive priority funding in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Fiscal Year 2018 Workplan. The Corps has allocated $14,760,000 to the Canaveral Harbor Sand Bypass project and $1,470,000 will be provided for maintenance of the Port’s harbor and the Canaveral Locks. 

Port Canaveral, FL – Texas A&M Maritime Academy cadets and their faculty sailed into Port Canaveral aboard the U.S. Maritime Service Training Ship Kennedy, marking the first arrival of the vessel at the Port.  275 Texas Maritime Academy cadets are on-board the vessel to gain critical hands-on ship operating experience in fulfillment of a required seven-week sea term.

Port Canaveral, FL –  Port Canaveral has completed, ahead of schedule, an eight-month modernization project to renovate its North Cargo Piers 1 and 2.  The project is part of an overall infrastructure improvement plan to maximize usability of existing bulkhead space at the Port.

Port Canaveral, FL – The growth of cruising from Port Canaveral hit another milestone as the Norwegian Sun sailed out of the Port on its inaugural voyage to Havana, Cuba today.  Fresh out of dry dock enhancement, Norwegian Sun returned to Port Canaveral to begin her homeport Summer 2018 sailing season.

Port Canaveral, FL – Canaveral Port Authority has named Michael B. Poole as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for Port Canaveral, effective May 11, 2018. A well-respected seaport industry executive, Poole brings to the Port 30 years experience in maritime transportation, municipal finance, public accounting, and financial and operating auditing.

Port Canaveral, FL – Fitch Ratings affirmed today the 'A' rating on approximately $64.3 million of Canaveral Port Authority (CPA) port revenue bonds.  The Rating Outlook is Stable.  Today's announcement by the credit rating agency underscores Port Canaveral's market position as a leading cruise-focused port in the U.S. With approximately five million revenue passengers expected in Fiscal Year 2018, the Port is the world's second busiest cruise port and Florida's third largest by operating revenue.

Port Canaveral, FL – Port Canaveral has commenced the largest single construction project in the history of the Port. Demolition of the Port’s oldest cruise terminal began today to make way for a new state-of-the-art terminal with upgraded berth and a new parking garage. Deconstruction of the existing Cruise Terminal 3 facility is expected to be completed by July this year.

Port Canaveral, FL – The future is bright for Port Canaveral, now home to forty-two new solar panels in the form of energy producing solar trees.  Port Canaveral has partnered with the Florida Power and Light (FPL) SolarNow™ program to plant solar trees at key locations at the Port where visitors can plug in, charge their devices, and enjoy the much-needed shade. The trees, located on the lawn of the Exploration Tower and Jetty Park, will showcase solar energy and generate zero emissions energy for many years to come.
 

Port Canaveral, FL – A new class of post-Panamax (PPX) shipping vessel made its first visit to Port Canaveral, marking the second time this year a vehicle carrier megaship of this size has called on the Port. Launched in 2017, the MV Donington PPX roll-on/roll-off (Ro/Ro) vessel arrived at Port Canaveral as part of its inaugural U.S. itinerary. With its 125-foot beam and capacity to transport over 7,400 vehicles, the Donington is Hoegh Autoliners’ largest Post-Panamax vessel to call on the Port. The ship arrived at Port Canaveral, its second U.S. port of call after delivering vehicles to Port Freeport in Texas last week.

Port Canaveral, FL –The Canaveral Port Authority has been awarded an $8.245 million grant from the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund for a roadway improvement project to support the Port's growth and expansion in cruise and cargo business. Florida Governor Rick Scott announced the grant award to Port Canaveral at an event held in Jacksonville on Tuesday.

Port Canaveral, FL – A new multi-purpose cargo berth at Port Canaveral was given the green light at the Canaveral Port Authority Board of Commissioners meeting this week. Commissioners voted unanimously to move forward with building a new North Cargo Berth 8 (NCB8) to accommodate a growing cargo portfolio that includes commercial spacecraft components.  

Port Canaveral, FL – The final version of Port Canaveral's Strategic Master Plan was presented to the Canaveral Port Authority Board of Commissioners for discussion and voting at the regular meeting of the Board today.  Lead consultant for the Plan, Luis Ajamil of Bermello, Ajamil & Partners, Inc., the Miami-based consultants who prepared the Plan for the Port Authority, made the presentation to the Board.

Port Canaveral, FL – The new class of post-Panamax (PPX) shipping vessels made an inaugural visit to Port Canaveral recently. The PPX Ro/Ro vessel MOL’s Brooklands, is the first of its kind to call on Port Canaveral.  With a 125-foot beam and capacity to transport over 7,400 vehicles, MOL’s Brooklands is the largest Post-Panamax vessel to call on the Port.

As Port Canaveral continues to prepare for Hurricane Matthew, we ask that Port tenants and businesses take all necessary precautions to protect life, property and the environment. 

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As one of two finalists for Volkswagen’s North American auto distribution center, Port Canaveral is well positioned to attract other automakers interested in its unique auto parking facility, a major step in cargo expansion under way at central’s Florida’s maritime gateway to the global marketplace. 

Starting November 15, 2014, Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas begins homeporting at Port Canaveral through March 2015.