The largest cruise ship terminal in North America is being built in Miami and MSC Cruises broke ground on the project this week. The terminal will be able to process up to 36,000 passengers each day and accommodate three cruise ships.
The new terminal in Miami is expected to open in late 2023 and will be located next to Royal Caribbean’s Terminal A. It will be able to accommodate three of the latest generation cruise ships at once. MSC Cruises is building two of the new docks with Miami-Dade County constructing the third.
Preparations for the Cruise Capital of the World’s new terminal have been underway since last July, when the Cruise Division of MSC Group and Fincantieri announced a partnership under which Fincantieri Infrastructure would build the state-of-the-art facility. It features a striking design by award-winning global architecture firm Arquitectonica aimed at adding a new layer of beauty to Miami’s iconic skyline.
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The new terminal will accommodate the cruise line’s largest and most environmentally advanced cruise ships, including MSC Cruises’ newest flagship, MSC Seashore, and the cruise line’s future LNG-powered World Class ships. Most cruise ships deployed there will be ready to plug in to the local power grid at berth, in line with PortMiami’s plans to enable shore power connectivity.
Mayor Daniella Levine-Cava, Miami-Dade County, said: “In Miami-Dade County, we are forging our way to the future with investments that will stimulate growth and expanded opportunities for our local economy. As our port continues to grow, the opportunities for our community—in jobs, contracts, and services—can only increase,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “The new MSC mega cruise terminal will simultaneously service three new-generation passenger vessels, potentially handling up to 36,000 travelers per day. This architectural wonder will allow the cruise line to deploy some of its most environmentally high-performing ships, including its new World Class fleet currently under construction. A big thank you to MSC Cruises and Fincantieri for their solid partnership.”
Rubén Rodriguez, President, MSC Cruises USA, said: “Our new terminal at PortMiami represents MSC Cruises’ commitment to growing in North America and will help drive our expansion in South Florida and beyond. It’s also part of our larger sustainability goals, which include deploying our most modern and environmentally advanced ships to North America, the continued development of our one-of-a-kind Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, and our pledge to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. We’re proud of our partnership with Fincantieri, PortMiami and Miami-Dade County, and it’s a privilege to be able to contribute to the region’s continued growth and vitality.”
Claudio Gemme, CEO of Fincantieri Infrastructure, stated: “We are very pleased to be able to work with MSC, PortMiami and Miami-Dade County on such an ambitious project as the new terminal. It represents for us a significant result from a strategic point of view, because it rewards the choice to extend to new areas the skills acquired in the field of large infrastructures. When the works are completed, here in the world cruise capital, passengers from all over the globe will be able to admire the superior quality of our work even before boarding the ship”.
