MSC Cruises and Miami-Dade county have signed an agreement for extended preferential berthing rights, as well as of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the construction of a new Cruise Terminal AAA at PortMiami.
Pierfrancesco Vago, MSC Cruises Executive Chairman, commented: “The new agreement and expanded partnership with PortMiami and Miami-Dade County is another key step forward in the business growth of MSC Cruises, as we continue to strengthen our global footprint, with a strategic focus on North America.”
PortMiami is MSC’s exclusive home-port in the US. The new agreement extends MSC Cruises’ existing Saturday preferential berthing rights to Sundays. In addition, the new terminal — which is due to be completed by October, 2022 — will be able to accommodate MSC Cruises’ next-generation, still under construction ‘MSC World Class’ cruise ships carrying up to 7,000 pax.
Currently, the ‘MSC Seaside’, which arrived in late 2017, sails year around from Miami to the Caribbean from the recently completed Terminal F. ‘MSC Divina’ also sails seasonally to the Caribbean from October through March, and ‘MSC Armonia’ will join MSC Cruises’ North American-based fleet beginning year-round cruises to Havana, Cuba in December, 2018.
In addition, as of November, 2019, ‘MSC Meraviglia’, the company’s largest ship at 171,598 gt with the capacity to carry 5,714 pax, will join the other three ships at PortMiami.
“Investing in PortMiami’s infrastructure positions Miami-Dade County as a global destination for visitors,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor, Carlos Gimenez. “The construction of a new cruise terminal AAA with the capacity to berth an additional 7,000-passenger cruise ship represents thousands of jobs and increased opportunities for our community. We are grateful for MSC Cruises continued partnership.”
