Port of San Diego to Break Ground on New Cruise Terminal

The Port of San Diego broke ground for a new cruise ship terminal on Broadway Pier. The festivities began at 10 a.m. and included remarks from Board Chair Stephen P. Cushman; Luis Ajamil, the architect who designed the new terminal; and Carlos Torres de Navarra, director of strategic planning and port development for Carnival Corp. & plc.

Carnival Corp. is the parent company of Holland America Line, which has operated seasonal cruises from San Diego since 1998. It is also the parent company of Carnival Cruise Lines, which operates the port’s only year-round ship, the 2,052-passenger Carnival Elation.

Carnival Corp. loaned the port $12 million to help pay for construction of the 52,000-square-foot, two-story terminal. The terminal will be able to accommodate 2,600 passengers and will include space for U.S. Customs & Border Protection.

The facility will be the port’s first “green” building and is being designed to meet silver-level Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, meaning it would use less water and energy and produce fewer pollutants.

Some of the construction elements that will help qualify for LEED certification include use of a photovoltaic system that will provide at least 12 percent of the building’s energy. The project also may incorporate highly reflective roof paint and low-flow toilets, urinals and faucets that will help keep water and energy costs down.

The new terminal will also include space for private and public events on days when cruise ships aren’t in port. A public space will be open in the back of the building, with an open pavilion area that will provide views of the bay. Another event area will be located on the second floor.

Last year, there were 297 cruise ship calls to the Port of San Diego, bringing nearly a million passengers. Each cruise ship that stops has an economic impact of about $2 million. That number is calculated from passenger spending and the businesses that serve the cruise lines, including florists, food suppliers, linen companies, cleaning companies and bus and transportation services.