JOHN WALSH DELIVERS EXCITING ‘STATE OF THE PORT’

By  //  June 17, 2014

ABOVE VIDEO: Port Canaveral’s Chief Executive Officer John Walsh does a Q&A session with the media after he delivered an exciting 2014 “State of the Port” address Monday morning.

Declares Thousands More Jobs, Billions More In Economic Impact In Store For Brevard County

BREVARD COUNTY • PORT CANAVERAL, FLORIDA – Port Canaveral’s Chief Executive Officer John Walsh delivered an exciting 2014 “State of the Port” address Monday morning, declaring that thousands more local jobs, and billions more in economic impact, was in store for Brevard County.

Canaveral Port Authority next month expects to sign contracts with Norwegian and Royal Caribbean cruise lines after recently reaching terms that expand commitments from both companies.
Norwegian and Royal Caribbean cruise lines recently expanded their commitment to Port Canaveral.

Walsh said Port Canaveral’s 30 Year Master Plan will grow the port’s economic impact from $3.5 billion annually, to a whopping $20 billion a year.

Walsh said that Port Canaveral, currently the second busiest cruise passenger port in the world behind Miami, will growing from four million passengers a year to eight million thanks in part to the new construction of the cruise terminal currently being built on the south shore of the port next to the Cove.

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ABOVE VIDEO: Port Canaveral’s Chief Executive Officer John Walsh delivered an exciting 2014 State of the Port address.

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“Our goal is to do $100 million yearly in the coming decades,” Port Canaveral CEO John Walsh said of his expectations in cargo revenue growth.

Royal Caribbean will use the new Cruise Terminal 1, which is currently under construction and, Carnival Cruise Lines has increased its passenger count to 600,000.

Much of Port Canaveral’s growth will be through expanded cargo operations, which generates $5 million in annual revenue.

“Our goal is to do $100 million yearly in the coming decades,” Walsh said of his expectations in cargo revenue growth.

As a result of both cruise and cargo initiatives, Walsh predicted the port will generate 50,000 jobs in the next few decades, up from its current 17,000.

RELATED STORY: Big Cargo Cranes Arrive At Port Canaveral

The port is expected to sign an agreement with a large cargo company next week and is expected to create more than 500 jobs in the region. Dubbed “Project Pelican,” the company is expected to be announced next week.

ABOVE VIDEO: Brevard County District 2 Commissioner Chuck Nelson comments on 2014 “State of the Port” address.

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