MIAMI, Fla. — Thousands of eager travelers, ready to set sail on a cruise across the Caribbean’s turquoise waters, gather at PortMiami on a bright morning. For many, this is the start of a vacation for the books whether it be a family reunion or honeymoon.
Meanwhile, history is being made on the ships they’re about to board. Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) is helping Miami sail toward sustainability by introducing the world’s leading cruise lines to shore power technology, a new way to reduce emissions by relying on electricity instead of fuel.
This innovative tech is changing how ships dock in PortMiami and was made possible thanks to a collaboration between Florida’s leading utility, Miami-Dade County and major cruise lines (Carnival Corporation, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, Royal Caribbean Group and Virgin Voyages).
Shore power technology allows multiple ships to turn off their engines and plug into electric power simultaneously while docked, reducing emissions and noise. This initiative aims to create a more resilient and sustainable port, benefiting the community, cruise line customers and the environment.
“I think this is a game changer,” Jennifer Stephens said after getting off an MSC cruise. “I personally have a plug-in hybrid [car], so I understand the benefits of utilizing the electric portion, especially with high fuel prices these days.”
For Stephens, cruises are something she and her family of 14 look forward to every year, multiple times a year.
Electrifying Florida’s ports can mitigate rising fuel costs and lower emissions. In Miami-Dade County, shore power will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from PortMiami operations by 25% by 2030.
This project delivers an additional 45MW of continuous power to PortMiami, equivalent to powering approximately 13,000 homes—comparable to the output of a typical solar site.
“This partnership aligns with our commitment to serve our customers and help them meet their emissions reduction goals,” said Armando Fernandez, director of external affairs at FPL. “We are thrilled to extend electrification to the cruise industry and support a more resilient, sustainable port, benefitting the community, cruise line customers and the environment.”
Considered the world’s cruise capital, PortMiami is one of Miami-Dade County's vital economic engines contributing $61.4 billion and more than 340,078 jobs to Florida's economy, according to a 2023 study. PortMiami CEO Hydi Webb thanked all who helped make this possible during the official plug in.
“This has been a monumental project,” Webb said with a smile. “We’ll be able to plug in five terminals and three ships simultaneously on any given day.”
FPL is evaluating the use of shore power to multiple ports, including Port Everglades, Port Canaveral and more PortMiami terminals.
“This shore power project marks a significant step towards a cleaner future,” said Armando Fernandez.
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