Cruise port's hurricane damage may reach $7 million
PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. — The Space Coast's cruise, cargo and naval hub just south of Cape Canaveral sustained as much as $7 million in damage from Hurricane Matthew, officials said.
Port Canaveral sustained as much as $7 million in damage from Hurricane Matthew, port Chief Executive Officer John Murray estimates.
But the damage potentially could have been much worse had the storm been closer to shore when it passed, port Chief Executive Officer John Murray said. Additionally, the port was able to reopen quickly after the storm passed, avoiding a significant loss in cruise business.
Initial estimates show that buildings at the port have $2 million to $3 million in damage, including warehouse roofs and leaks at cruise terminals. Overall damage could increase to $5 million to $7 million, depending on damage to port roads and dredging needed in the port's channels.
More detailed figures should be available later this week, Murray said. The port will be seeking assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help reimburse storm damage repairs.
On the morning of Oct. 7, Hurricane Matthew passed east of Brevard County, and Port Canaveral was able to reopen by the next afternoon.
"Everybody hit the deck running Saturday morning" to work on structural repairs so the port could reopen, Murray said. "We had a great team effort."
While the port was closed, it lost two scheduled three-day sailings: the Disney Dream and Royal Caribbean Majesty of the Seas. It also lost the Disney Magic's scheduled post-of-call stop.
But that lost business was offset somewhat because three other cruise ships made unscheduled stops at Port Canaveral when they were unable to make stops at other ports on their original itineraries, Murray said.
Murray said the port provided 80,000 square feet of space in the new Port Canaveral Logistics Center in Titusville, Fla., as a staging area for the American Red Cross to store relief supplies to help Floridians in after the storm.
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