• PortMiami has regained its status as the world’s busiest port, with a record-breaking 7,299,294 cruise passengers in Fiscal Year 2023, surpassing its previous record by 6.97 percent. 
• Alongside its passenger traffic record, PortMiami also proliferated its rate of cargo handling.
• Biscayne Bay, where PortMiami is situated, contributes $64 billion annually and supports 448,000 jobs while generating $4 billion in tax revenue.

PortMiami has once again reclaimed its title as the busiest port globally, setting a new record in cruise activity for Fiscal Year 2023.

Official figures provided by the port report that 7,299,294 cruise passengers passed through the port, a 6.97 percent increase compared to the previous record set in Fiscal Year 2019.

“PortMiami continues to drive our economy forward, creating opportunities for residents and businesses across our county,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. The Port is an industry leader, which is future-ready and committed to innovative, efficient, and sustainable growth.”

In addition to passenger traffic, PortMiami also set records in cargo handling, processing 1,098,322 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), marking the ninth consecutive year it has exceeded the one-million TEU mark.

For the coming Fiscal Year, the port plans to add several large cruise ships to its roster, including Royal Caribbean Group’s Icon of the Seas, which is set to be the largest cruise ship in the world. The port’s recently completed infrastructure expansion includes the recent inauguration of three new cruise terminals and features ongoing construction of additional facilities. PortMiami has also implemented shore power technology, in partnership with Florida Power & Light Company, expected to boost revenues.

Biscayne Bay, where Port Miami is located, holds an annual economic impact valued at $64 billion, according to a report released by Miami-Dade County and the South Florida Water Management District.

The updated numbers detail a contribution of $24 billion in income, support for 448,000 jobs, and a generation of $4 billion in tax revenue. The report shows that Biscayne Bay contributes to 19 percent of Miami-Dade County’s economy, 9 percent of Southeast Florida’s, and 3 percent of Florida’s overall economic activity. The value marks an increase from the $12.8 billion figure recorded in 2005.

“Biscayne Bay is an environmental jewel, an economic powerhouse, and a waterbody of enormous significance for millions of Floridians,” said South Florida Water Management District Governing Board Vice-Chairman and Member of the Biscayne Bay Commission Scott Wagner.