Port Canaveral facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Port Canaveral |
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| Location | |
| Country |  United States |
| Location | Brevard County, Florida |
| Details | |
| Opened | 1953 |
| Operated by | Port Canaveral |
| Available berths | 18 |
| Draft depth | 39.5 feet (12.0 m) |
| Statistics | |
| Annual cargo tonnage | 6 million tons |
| Passenger traffic | 4.07 million |
| Website Canaveral Port Authority |
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Port Canaveral is a busy port in Brevard County, Florida, United States. It handles cruise ships, cargo, and even supports naval operations. It's known for having some of the busiest cruise terminals in the world.
In 2022, more than 4 million passengers traveled through the port. Also, over 5.4 million tons of bulk cargo move through the port each year.
The main types of cargo include things like salt, vehicles, and petroleum. The port has special equipment to load products directly into trucks. It can also handle large bulk-cargo containers. The main channel for ships is about 44 feet (13 m) deep.
Port Canaveral sends out fresh citrus and frozen orange juice. It also exports cement and building materials. The port receives lumber, salt for water softeners, cars, and steel. It helps move goods by land, sea, air, and even for space missions!
About ten ships enter the port every day. These include ships from popular cruise lines like Carnival, Disney, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian.
Contents
The Canaveral Port Authority manages Port Canaveral. It was started in 1953 by the state of Florida. The Authority has a Board of Commissioners and an Executive Management Team.
Board of Commissioners
The Board of Commissioners makes important decisions. They set rules for money, operations, and how the port is run. There are five Commissioners on the Board. They are chosen by voters from the local area. Each Commissioner must live in a specific area.
Executive Management Team
The Executive Management Team handles the daily tasks and operations. This team is led by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). In 2017, the Canaveral Port Authority had 223 full-time employees.
The history of Port Canaveral can be divided into different periods. These periods show how the port grew and changed over time.
Early Days and Dredging
The idea of building a port here started way back in the 1880s. The actual digging of the port happened between 1951 and 1955. The port was officially opened on November 4, 1953. A United States Navy ship, the USS McClelland, was part of the dedication ceremony.
The first port manager, George King, started in 1954. Soon after, commercial fishing began at the port. In 1955, the first commercial shipping arrived with a load of cement. The Tropicana Corporation also built a large refrigerated warehouse here. This warehouse was used to store orange juice before it was shipped out.
Growth of the Port
Cruise ships started coming to Port Canaveral in 1964. One of the first was the SS Yarmouth Castle. However, regular cruise traffic was limited until the 1980s.
In 1965, a special water gate called a lock was opened. This lock is part of the Canaveral Barge Canal. The United States Army Corps of Engineers still takes care of the Canaveral Lock today. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the port focused on fishing and shipping. New cargo piers and warehouses were built during this time.
Port Canaveral has always been important for NASA and the nearby Kennedy Space Center. During the Apollo program, parts of the Saturn V rocket traveled through the port. More recently, the large external fuel tanks for the Space Shuttle were floated into Port Canaveral. Also, the solid rocket boosters were towed back through the port after each launch.
In 1990, Morton Salt started its operations at the port. They import salt and produce different types of salt for pools, water softeners, and farms.
In the 2010s, SpaceX began using the port for their special ships called autonomous spaceport drone ships (ASDS). These ships help land rocket boosters at sea. In 2016, the ASDS Of Course I Still Love You brought back the first Falcon 9 rocket booster that was recovered at sea.
A new fuel storage area, Seaport Canaveral, was finished in 2010. It has a pipeline that goes all the way to Orlando International Airport.
A new building called the Exploration Tower was also added to the port. It's seven stories tall and offers visitors amazing views and interactive exhibits about the port.
The Canaveral Pilots Association was started in 1968. These are special pilots who guide large ships safely into and out of Port Canaveral. They board foreign-flagged ships and direct their movement through the port's channels. The association uses special pilot boats to pick up and drop off the pilots from the ships.
Cruise Ship Central
Port Canaveral is a major hub for cruise ships. Many big cruise lines use its six cruise terminals. These include Carnival, Disney, Norwegian, MSC Cruises, and Royal Caribbean International. Princess Cruises and Celebrity Cruises will also start using the port in 2024.
In the early 1980s, the port started focusing more on cruise ships. In 1982, an old warehouse was turned into Cruise Terminal 1. The SS Scandinavian Sea was the first cruise ship to make Port Canaveral its home. At first, cruises were simple day trips out into the ocean. Later, more terminals were built, and longer cruises to the Bahamas began.
In 2014, Port Canaveral and Royal Caribbean International opened Terminal 1. This new terminal was built to handle very large ships, like the Oasis-class class. In 2015, it was announced that the world's largest cruise ship, the Oasis of the Seas, would make Port Canaveral its new home.
Many exciting cruise ships call Port Canaveral their home port. This means they start and end their journeys here.
- Mardi Gras
- Carnival Freedom
- Carnival Liberty
- Carnival Magic
- Disney Fantasy
- Disney Wish
- Norwegian Escape
- Mariner of the Seas
- Independence of the Seas
- Jewel of the Seas
- MSC Meraviglia
- Wonder of the Seas
- Marella Discovery
- Carnival Vista
- MSC Seashore
Some cruise ships visit Port Canaveral as part of their journey, but they are not based here.
- Adventure of the Seas
- AIDAvita
- Anthem of the Seas
- Carnival Pride
- Enchantment of the Seas
- Grandeur of the Seas
- Mein Schiff 6
- MSC Divina
- Norwegian Bliss
- Norwegian Breakaway
- Norwegian Gem
- Oasis of the Seas
Even more ships are planned to be based at Port Canaveral in the coming years!
- Carnival Glory (May 2024)
- Utopia of the Seas (Summer 2024)
- Carnival Venezia (December 2024)
- Caribbean Princess (November 2024)
- Celebrity Equinox (December 2024)
- Disney Treasure (December 2024)
- Norwegian Aqua (April 2025)
- Star of the Seas (Summer 2025)
- Sky Princess (November 2025)
- MSC Grandiosa (December 2025)
The Naval Ordnance Test Unit operates the naval part of the port. This unit has about 100 sailors and also works with contractors.
The Trident Turning Basin at the port supports Navy ballistic missile submarines.
Port Statistics
In 2011, about 75 percent of all cargo handled at the port was fuel. The total amount of cargo increased by 40 percent compared to 2010.
The channel that leads to the port is 400 feet (120 m) wide and 3.5 miles (5.6 km) long. Ships with a depth of up to 38 feet can enter the port at any time. Larger ships need to be scheduled to enter around high tide.
Fun at Jetty Park
The Canaveral Port Authority also owns and runs Jetty Park. This park is a popular spot for recreation. In 2016, about 325,000 people visited the park.
Impact on the Coastline
Ocean currents naturally move sand along the coast. This process is called longshore drift. Because Port Canaveral's jetties interrupt this movement, sand builds up north of the port. At the same time, sand erodes (washes away) from beaches south of the port.
To help with this, the Canaveral Harbor Federal Sand Bypass Project moves sand. They take sand from the northern beaches and put it on the southern beaches. This project is a partnership between the Port Authority, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the State of Florida.
Port in the 21st Century
In 2014, two very tall cranes were installed at the port for handling cargo. These cranes are 273 feet (83 m) tall!
In 2017, the port planned to build a new, larger Terminal 3. This new terminal was designed to be 190,000 square feet (18,000 m2) and opened in 2019. In 2018, the port announced that this new Terminal 3 would be the home port for a new, very large Carnival Cruise Line ship.
See also
In Spanish: Puerto Cañaveral para niños
