Mayor attends Terminal B groundbreaking at PortMiami

The mayor of Miami-Dade County was in attendance April 26 for the groundbreaking ceremony for Terminal B, a futuristic terminal port at PortMiami.

Guests included Florida State representative, Cynthia Stafford; Frank Del Rio, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.; Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez; Miami-Dade County commissioner Rebeca Sosa, and PortMiami director and chief executive officer, Juan Kuryla.

In a region where unemployment rates rose, city officials spoke highly about the 155 new full-time jobs the construction project will bring to locals.

“As Miami continues to develop as a global tourist destination, we view investing in PortMiami’s infrastructure as imperative to sustainable growth,” says Mayor Gimenez. “The construction of a new cruise terminal with the capacity to berth an additional 5,000-passenger cruise ship allows for the creation of thousands of jobs and increased opportunities for our community. We are eager to witness the incredible beauty the terminal will bring to our city skyline and grateful for Norwegian Cruise Line’s steadfast partnership.”

Terminal B is part of a cruise terminal agreement between Norwegian Cruise Line and Miami-Dade County that’s projected to make nearly $24 million in gross revenues starting Fiscal Year 2018, says a county press release.

The state-of-the-art terminal—that’s made using LEED Silver standards—is scheduled for completion in Fall 2019. The construction project is a part of a joint venture between architecture and construction firms, Bermello Ajamil & Partners and NV2A-Haskell.

“We are incredibly honored to be working with Norwegian and PortMiami on this innovative project,” said Luis Ajamil, president and chief executive officer of Bermello Ajamil & Partners. “Having the opportunity to design a building that is sure to become an iconic Miami destination is very exciting, and we look forward to establishing the new standard for passenger comfort and experience.”

Dubbed the “new pearl of Miami’s skyline,” the terminal’s interior and exterior design is inspired by the shape of Fibonacci nautilus’ ratio of perfection, featuring a multi-level, spiral glass-encased building.

Passengers can see expansive views of the ocean from the terminal that will measure 166,500 square feet in size, says a Norwegian Cruise Line source. It can accommodate ships of up to 5,000 passengers.

Norwegian Cruise Line

The terminal, which is dedicated to Norwegian Cruise Line, includes a lounge and service area for arriving guests, a parking garage with valet services, and direct access to the loading area.

“This iconic terminal represents our continued partnership with Miami-Dade County, our commitment to excellence and Miami as a world capital,” says Frank Del Rio, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. “As a global cruise company we’re transforming and elevating guest experiences through design and innovation on our ships, and this new terminal at PortMiami is the next step in that journey.”

Norwegian Cruise Line

Once Terminal B is completed, Norwegian Encore, a new Norwegian Cruise Line ship, will debut its seasonal cruises to the Caribbean from PortMiami.

The Miami-Dade County Board of Commissioners approved the project on April 10, 2018, with construction beginning May 1.

• Norwegian Cruise Line will build a futuristic new terminal at PortMiami [Curbed Miami]
• Miami-Dade County jobs rise in key spots even as joblessness grows [Miami Today]
• Miami-Dade County approves agreement with Norwegian Cruise Line [Miami-Dade County News Release]

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