Southampton and PortMiami Sign Sister Port Agreement

The Port of Southampton and PortMiami signed a sister port agreement during a visit from a delegation of officials from the Florida-based port and Miami-Dade County.

The Port of Southampton is Europe’s leading cruise turn-around port and PortMiami is the world’s leading cruise port. The agreement officially opens channels for cruise industry best practice in their respective areas.

To make the agreement official, Juan Kuryla, Port Director at PortMiami, and The Honorable Carlos Gimenez, Mayor at Miami-Dade County, signed the official International Sister Seaports Agreement with Alastair Welch, Port of Southampton Director.

The Port of Southampton welcomes more than two million cruise passengers each year and brings £2 million into the economy with every cruise call. The Port welcomed the Norwegian Spirit for the first time on May 31. She is one of 11 cruise ships making their maiden call to the port this year.

In April this year, the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners granted approval for MSC Cruises to design, construct, operate and maintain a large building that hosts two cruise terminals (AA and AAA) as well as two berths. Work on the new terminals is due to commence in early 2020 and is expected to be completed by late 2022. Last year, Virgin Voyages, unveiled plans for a new terminal at PortMiami.