PortMiami set a record in 2023 with its busiest cruise year ever, county Mayor Daniella Levine Cava announced Monday.
A record 7,299,294 cruise passengers went through the port during the 2023 fiscal year, Levine Cava said.
It's a 6.97% increase from the port's previous record of 6,823,816 passengers set in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the cruise industry for months.
"Congratulations to the entire PortMiami team and its partners on its busiest cruise year ever," Levine Cava said. "PortMiami continues to drive our economy forward, creating opportunities for residents and businesses across our county. The Port is an industry leader, which is future ready and committed to innovative, efficient, and sustainable growth."
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The port is among Miami-Dade's most important economic engines, contributing $43 billion annually to the local economy and supporting more than 334,500 jobs.
A number of new ships will begin departing from PortMiami in 2024, including Royal Caribbean Group’s Icon of the Seas, the largest cruise ship in the world.
