Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings’ (NCLH) PortMiami terminal has received the world’s first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold New Construction v4.0 certificate awarded to a cruise terminal.
“We are proud to be recognised as a leader in sustainable construction with the LEED Gold Certification of our incredible new PortMiami terminal B, the ‘Pearl of Miami’, the first cruise terminal in the world to receive this certification under the new, more stringent LEED construction standards,” said Frank Del Rio, NCLH President and CEO.
“This certification is a great reflection of how we are driving a positive impact on the environment and society through our global sustainability programme, Sail & Sustain, while delivering on our vision to be the vacation of choice for everyone around the world.
“We will continue to invest, design and develop towards this commitment including further investment at the PortMiami terminal where we are partnering with Miami-Dade County to add shore power capabilities by the Fall (Autumn) 2023,” he said.
Developed by the US Green Building Council, LEED is the claimed to be the most widely used green building rating system in the world, and its certificates are globally recognised symbols of sustainability achievement.
LEED for Building Design and Construction, specifically new construction, provides a framework for building a holistic green building while addressing both design and construction activities.
The Miami terminal welcomed guests for the first time in August, 2021 upon NCLH’s return to service in the US with ‘Norwegian Gem’.
Of 188,000 sq ft, the terminal can accommodate cruise vessels carrying up to 5,000 guests. It was designed with innovation and sustainability at the forefront, the company said.
The team created a platform that optimises the terminal’s energy performance, indoor air quality, water efficiencies, utilisation of local materials and resources, etc. With high levels of energy performance in mind, the project was designed to perform at least 38% better than the average building.
In addition to significant water quality permits and protections, the terminal includes manatee and pollution discharge protections and plans to have shore power capabilities by Autumn 2023.
“We are honoured to have partnered with PortMiami and Miami-Dade County to construct an iconic terminal to LEED Gold Standards,” said Harry Sommer, NCL’s President and CEO. “The terminal was designed and built in partnership with our local South Florida community. Approximately 90% of all sub-contractors, vendors and suppliers were local to the region, encouraging local economic growth.”
