PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. – With the turn of a shovel, Port Canaveral ceremoniously broke ground Thursday on a $48 million renovation to its North Cargo Berth 3 complex.
The Canaveral Port Authority chairman called the groundbreaking an exciting time for the port.
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‘’It gives a new chapter for the development of the port and the economy of the area,’’ Jerry Allender said.
The port said the terminal that was originally built in 1976 is functionally obsolete because it cannot support larger shipping traffic passing through the port channel today.
Rep. Bill Posey, R-Rockledge, also spoke ahead of the groundbreaking.
‘’We all know how important our supply chain is and we should know how important our ports are to our supply chain,’’ Posey said.
Port Canaveral might be best-known as America’s second-busiest cruise port.
But when the pandemic shut down cruising, Captain John Murray said space operations and cargo still stayed strong.
The port CEO said last year was a record year for cargo and the port is on track for another banner year now.
‘’We have more cargo that can come here, we just don’t have the facilities and the capabilities to handle it right now,’’ Murray said.
The new design includes constructing an 880-foot-long replacement berth to replace the over-water pier.
The port said that will make room for wider ships in the channel.
‘’The improvements of the cargo berths will allow the port to address their growing needs, continue to help bring in additional funding for our state,’’ said State Sen. Tom Wright, R-New Smyrna Beach.
The port said construction should be done in a year.