Port Canaveral, Florida’s premier seaport, is investing upwards of $500 million in landside and waterside improvements as part of its comprehensive “Port Canaveral Advantage” plan to expand capacity and capabilities across all aspects of its business operations.
“Port Canaveral has been a driving force for the Central Florida economy for over seven decades and the continued prosperity of our Port community depends on our continued success,” stated Capt. John Murray, Port Canaveral CEO. “As we look ahead to the future, our challenge is balancing the business demands we have today while positioning ourselves for continued growth.”
Port Canaveral Advantage is a port-wide continuous improvement program that identifies near- to long-term needs for enhancements and upgrades to Port assets and operations. Within a five-year planning window, the program includes large-scale, high value critical infrastructure projects associated with new cruise ship arrivals, modernizing and expanding cargo berths and bulkheads, upgrading facilities maintenance, deploying new technologies across a spectrum of operations and renovations to the Port’s recreational facilities like Jetty Park.
“There are thousands of individuals and businesses who rely on the Port for their livelihood,” stated Capt. Murray. “These port-wide investments are designed to leverage the Port’s success to benefit communities from the Space Coast to Central Florida, and throughout the state. Our goal and commitment are to always be the best port possible for our valued partners, guests, and visitors.”
Cruise Terminal 5 is one of the terminals slated for expansion (Photo: Canaveral Port Authority)
Several cruise-related projects are about to get underway at Port Canaveral, with one of the most ambitious being the expansion of Cruise Terminal 5 (CT-5). The design project, awarded to BEA Architects of Miami, will increase the terminal’s size by 65 percent to accommodate larger vessels. During an estimated 16-month construction period, the cruise terminal would continue to operate without interrupting scheduled ship turns.
In addition to expanding CT-5, the Port plans to enhance Cruise Terminal 10 to expand its capacity beginning with a feasibility study that is expected to be completed by June 2025. The project’s goals include expanding the terminal’s capacity to accommodate the world’s largest cruise ships up to 5,600 passengers and berthing up to 1,200 feet in length.
Rendering of covered walkway project for Port Canaveral’s Cruise Terminal 1 (Photo: Canaveral Port Authority)
Exterior upgrades at Cruise Terminal 1 will begin in May 2025 and include new canopies and walkways, updated landscaping, and new lighting to create a refreshed west entrance for cruise guests arriving at this very popular and busy terminal. These terminal upgrades are in addition to refurbishments to the adjacent cruise parking garage with new paint, landscaping, and perimeter fencing plus gangway upgrades.
(Photo: Canaveral Port Authority)
Earlier this year, the Port established a new Cruise Automation Team with dedicated responsibility for the safe and efficient operation of the Port’s passenger boarding bridges, leading to a superior embarkation and debarkation experience for guests.
Under the direction of newly hired Vice President of Facilities Optimization Steve Shelton – whose experience includes some of the world’s premier hotels and resorts in the hospitality industry – the first phase of program is already making a significant impact with additional projects scheduled over the coming months.
On the commercial cargo side, Port plans are developing to renovate existing pier structures on the southside of the Port to create additional multipurpose, multiuser berth space and improve vessel turn times, while renovations to two northside cargo berths – North Cargo Berths 3 and 4 – are nearing completion adding 1,800 linear feet of multipurpose bulkhead space. Ongoing improvements include harbor deepening and berth box dredging to accommodate larger vessels, seawall and uplands facility upgrades, and the addition of a third mobile harbor crane set to arrive later this year. Roadway improvements are also underway to improve access to and from cargo terminals, ease roadway congestion and reduce truck wait times.
Unlike any other seaport, Port Canaveral has played a long-standing role in supporting America’s space program. Today, two commercial space companies, SpaceX and Blue Origin, have maritime operations at the Port utilizing multiple cargo berths for their vessels dockage and for offloading and transporting recovered launch vehicle components.
Port Canaveral’s Jetty Park – the popular beach and campground that attracts nearly 400,000 visitors a year – is also undergoing some major upgrades with a new camp store, guest cabins and dog park, renovated bathhouses, roadway and lighting improvements, playground refurbishments, and redesigned public boat ramps at Rodney Ketchum Park. Port visitors and guests will also notice new landscaping and entrance enhancements to The Cove, lined with popular restaurants and watering holes.