PortMiami Builds For the Future
May 7, 2014 5:01 PM
PortMiami, the worlds busiest cruise port, welcomes Norwegian Cruise Lines newest ship, Norwegian Getaway, in February. The 3,969-passenger ship will homeport in Miami year round. The seaport hosts 13 cruise lines, including Carnival Cruise Lines, the industrys largest by market share, according to Cruise Market Watch. Credit: PortMiami Related Story: Miami-Dade Goes Variable Rate on Port Deal
The yellow line in the photo shows where dredging will take place to increase water depth to 50 feet from about 40 feet at PortMiami. The project is expected to be done in time for the port to receive the new generation of larger container cargo vessels that will be able to pass through the Panama Canal after its $5.3 billion expansion and addition of larger locks is completed. Some $110.4 million of the Miami-Dade County bonds are financing the countys portion of the $220 million deep dredge.Credit: PortMiami
A super post-Panamax crane working at PortMiami. Six of the cranes are being purchased to service larger, modern container ships that will pass through the Panama Canal after larger locks are installed. Miami is competing with Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, and other ports along the east coast for post-Panamax ships, which are 160% larger than the largest vessels that navigate the canal today. Credit: PortMiami
The concrete portals in the middle of the road provide cargo and cruise traffic a link via twin underwater tunnels with PortMiami in the top of this aerial photo. The $1 billion tunnels open to traffic this month, and are being built and operated through a public-private partnership with the Florida Department of Transportation. Equity members in the concessionaire, Miami Access Tunnel, are Meridiam Infrastructure and Bouygues Travaux Publics. The concession agreement expires on Oct. 15, 2044. Credit: Daniel Azoulay
Workers do finishing jobs outside one set of concrete portals leading to underwater tunnels that will connect PortMiami to the interstate. The tunnels will provide a second route for truck and cruise bus traffic that currently drive through the ports only access point on downtown Miami. The project will ease city congestion. It will also the improve efficiency of trucks hauling cargo to and from the port. Credit: Daniel Azoulay
One of two nearly complete underwater tunnels that will provide an alternate route for heavy traffic such as cargo trucks and cruise buses from the interstate to PortMiami. Builders say 50-ton metal gates have been installed to seal Miamis tunnel, so it wont flood as the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel did in 2012s Hurricane Sandy. PortMiamis tunnels open in May. They will not be tolled as the Florida Department of Transportation, Miami-Dade County, and the city of Miami are funding construction and operations. Credit: Daniel Azoulay
