Tag Archives: PortMiami

PortMiami Will Be Shore Power Ready by Fall 2023

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Miami-Dade County, in partnership with Florida Power and Light Company (FPL), Carnival Cruise Line, and Royal Caribbean Group, will be shore power ready at PortMiami by Fall 2023, according to a press release.

Cruise Terminal F, currently undergoing a significant expansion for Carnival and Cruise Terminal A, Royal Caribbean’s signature Miami terminal will be the first facility with shore power capability at the port.

In February 2021, Mayor Daniella Levine Cava launched an initiative to bring shore power to PortMiami in collaboration with Miami-Dade County’s major cruise line partners. The goal is to make Miami the first seaport in Florida and the southeastern U.S. shore power ready.

Since then, Carnival Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean Group have agreed to launch Phase 1 of this program for connections at Cruise Terminals A and F. Additionally, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Diesel Emissions Reduction Act announced a $2 million grant allocation for Phase 1 of the program.

Plans have already begun implementing the program in phases. Phase 1 at Cruise Terminals A and F will transform the power levels at the Port from the electrical grid to cable management systems for the heavy plugs and outlets on the vessels. This system requires each party to implement improvements on the electrical grid and supply lines, shore-side equipment on the pier, and shore-to-ship connection on the cruise ship. Additionally, PortMiami is working with other cruise line partners to ensure that their designated berths also have shore power connectivity as part of Phase 2.

“Our efforts to make PortMiami ‘shore power ready’ are moving full steam ahead thanks to the incredible work of the PortMiami team, FPL, and the commitment of Carnival Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean Group,” said Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “Our goal is to continue ensuring PortMiami is a leader in sustainability and to shape a more resilient cruise industry that prioritizes the protection of our environment. We are proud of this big step and look forward to working with other cruise companies for the second phase of this project to make the Cruise Capital of the World more sustainable.”

“As a world leader in renewable energy and sustainability, FPL is pleased to be partnering with Miami-Dade County, PortMiami and our renowned cruise line partners to develop an innovative shore power solution that will both lower emissions by shifting to clean power from FPL and drive modernization,” said Eric Silagy, president and CEO of FPL. “Every day, we deliver America’s best energy value to our customers, energy that’s not just clean and reliable, but also affordable. Now, we are pleased to bring these core values to the cruise industry, as we stand ready to make shore power a reality for PortMiami.”

“In line with our top priorities of compliance, environmental protection and the health, safety, and well-being of our guests, employees, and the people in the communities we touch and serve, we are thrilled to have been one of the first cruise lines to partner with Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and Miami-Dade County in the shore power program at PortMiami,” said Christine Duffy, President, Carnival Cruise Line. “With PortMiami being our busiest homeport and our longstanding relationship with both Miami-Dade and PortMiami, it’s a natural fit to work together to bring this power source to the Cruise Capital of the World.”

“Shore power connectivity allows us to reduce our emissions to near zero while connected in port,” said Richard Fain, Chairman and CEO, Royal Caribbean Group. “In partnership with Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and Miami-Dade County, we’re happy to help bring this technology to our hometown, the Cruise Capital of the World, as part of our sustainability journey and our single-minded focus to be partners to the communities we visit and call home.”

Miami Hoping to Ease Up Cruise Line Guarantees in Support Push

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PortMiami is continuing to step up to help the cruise industry, as the officials hope to push through regulations to alleviate cruise lines of minimum passenger guarantees during their recovery phase.

Already waving fees for ships docking for technical and crew repatriation reasons, the port hopes to relieve cruise lines of their minimum annual passenger guarantees, according to a document submitted Miami’s Ports and Tourism Committee. 

This would come in exchange for the cruise lines to “maintain or increase their PortMiami market share relative to other U.S. ports in terms of passenger volumes and/or (2) to guarantee vessel calls; and (3) on a cruise line by cruise line basis, to meet any other additional conditions required by the County Mayor or County Mayor’s designee, if any, in his/her discretion (i.e., return of available weekend berthing rights, modifications to the scope of the County-funded components of construction projects or other County borne construction-related obligations, etc.).”

Cruise lines will be required to pay dockage and wharfage at their minimum contractual rates or those published in Port Tariff No. 010 (tariff rates for the Fiscal Year 2020-21 are $13.12 for wharfage and $0.405 per gross registered ton for dockage), in both cases subject to a 3% annual rate of escalation, according to the documents submitted.

“The passenger shortfall and surplus accounts shall not apply during the Recovery Period, nor shall any additional credits accrue during any portion of the Recovery Period; and Any parking-based incentives granted under their respective preferential berthing rights or terminal usage agreements will be waived throughout the Recovery Period.”

The port said it expects the Recovery Period to last up to 24 months.

Of note, the port explained the fiscal impact through the end of the Fiscal Year 2019-20 of the first phase of the Recovery Period is $55 million, consisting of forgone net revenues derived from cruise wharfage and dockage fees. This has been offset by $35 million in expense reductions resulting from the port.

Carnival Sells Two Ships, Provides Further Fleet Update

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Carnival Fantasy in Mobile

Carnival Cruise Line today announced it had sold the Carnival Fantasy and Carnival Inspiration. A buyer was not named.

Meanwhile, the Carnival Fascination and Carnival Imagination will move to a long term lay-up status, with no specific timeline identified for a return to operation.

The company also announced that its second Excel-class ship will join the fleet in November 2022 from Meyer Turku and sail out of PortMiami as previously announced.

The Carnival Sensation will move from Miami to Mobile and take up itineraries previously assigned to the Carnival Fantasy and Carnival Fascination, with guests on those two ships being re-accommodated on Carnival Sensation.

The Carnival Sunrise will move from Port Everglades to PortMiami and assume the itineraries previously operated by Carnival Sensation, providing a larger, upgraded ship for short itineraries with the many new features installed during Carnival Sunrise’s $200 million transformations completed in 2019. Guests booked on the Sunrise itineraries from Port Everglades will be automatically moved to sailings from PortMiami.

Carnival Inspiration

Carnival Inspiration.

The Carnival Fascination’s itineraries from San Juan and Barbados have been cancelled for 2020-2021 as the cruise line focuses its return to operations on mainland drive markets in the U.S., the company said.

Itineraries for the Carnival Imagination and Carnival Inspiration from Long Beach have been cancelled through Apr. 19, 2021. Carnival Panorama will continue to operate 7-day cruises from Long Beach while Carnival Miracle will operate shorter itineraries from San Diego to Baja Mexico.

The Carnival Radiance will now move directly from Europe after its $200 million transformations and homeport in Long Beach in April of 2021, where it will assume the short Baja Mexico itineraries previously served by the Carnival Imagination and Carnival Inspiration. Guests booked on Carnival Imagination and Carnival Inspiration after April 22, 2021, will be re-accommodated on Carnival Radiance.

Carnival also said it notified its Australian guests that it has extended its pause of operations in that country, and has cancelled six cruises scheduled to operate between Sept. 25 and Oct. 29, 2020.

Carnival Radiance Cruise - Ship Review - Photos & Departure Ports ...
Carnival Radiance.

“We have used this pause in operations to think carefully about our fleet and to build a plan that gives our guests new choices and upgrades to current ship offerings,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “We have a great variety of ships across the Carnival Cruise Line fleet and we are thrilled to have been able to confirm a delivery date ahead of what we had anticipated for our second Excel ship, which is exciting news for guests interested in sailing from PortMiami on the sister ship to Mardi Gras! At the same time, we will continue to invest in the four remaining Fantasy-class ships that we are keeping in the fleet. We have many guests who prefer our Fantasy-class ships which work so well for shorter itineraries from smaller ports that cannot accommodate our larger ships. With a fleet that gives guests lots of choices in ships, homeports, destinations and features including a multitude of dining, entertainment and accommodation choices, we are very excited about the future for Carnival Cruise Line.”

Guests and travel agents are being notified directly about impacted sailings, guest re-accommodations and cancellations. Duffy thanked guests and travel agent partners alike for their continued patience, loyalty and support during this unprecedented time for the cruise industry. “With our future fleet plan resolved, we are focused on ensuring we are ready to return to operations once it is determined that the time is right to resume cruising in the U.S.,” she said.