By
Rebecca Gibson |
Miami-Dade County is to provide PortMiami with a total of US$33 million in state grants over the next five years to help the US port cater for its rapidly growing cruise and cargo business.
PortMiami, which had a record-breaking year for both cargo and cruise passengers, will use part of the funding to expand Cruise Terminal F into a facility that can process more than 5,000 cruise passengers simultaneously.
“I want to thank our state and local leaders for their support in securing the US$33 million in future state grant allocations for PortMiami,” said Carlos Gimenez, Miami-Dade Mayor. “Our port is a vital economic engine for not only Miami-Dade County, but all of South Florida and its continued growth represents thousands of jobs and increased opportunities for our community.”
Several cruise lines have revealed plans to expand business at PortMiami. Carnival Cruise Lines’ Carnival Vista and Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ Seven Seas Explorer will both homeport in Miami this winter, while MSC Cruises’ newbuild MSC Seaside will arrive in the city in winter 2017. Sir Richard Branson has also chosen PortMiami as a homeport for one of Virgin Voyages’ three new vessels when it debuts in 2020.
In addition, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. has started work on a US$200 million expansion project that will see it build a new cruise terminal at the port.