A ground-breaking ceremony on September 25, 2024 kicked off a $100 million infrastructure improvement plan at the San Juan Cruise Port that has been in the works for two years.
Major upgrades to the port are on track to make San Juan a major hub for the cruise industry, with plans to renovate existing facilities and build new ones.
Top governmental and port officials participated in the event, including Puerto Rico Governor Pedro R. Pierluisi and Ports Authority Executive Director Joel A. Pizá Batiz.
“[The projects will] strengthen the island’s position as a premier maritime tourist destination in the Caribbean, boosting the development of the tourism sector and the local economy,” Governor Pedro R. Pierluisi said.
The improvement project resulted from a 30-year concession contract that Global Ports Holding (GPH), a port management firm, signed with the San Juan Ports Authority in 2022.
In need of upgrades to its cruise infrastructure, the port agreed to the management pact, which came with a welcome investment of $100 million.
Under the improvement plan, repairs will be made to San Juan Cruise Port (SJCP) Pier 4 and Pan American Piers, and to existing cruise terminals.
GPH, which operates 32 cruise ports in 19 countries, also vowed to manage and modernize port technology and other systems to upgrade cruise tourism services at the port.
“We are certain that with the considerable expertise of Global Ports Holding and the commitment and dedication of the team of Puerto Ricans that make up SJCP, Puerto Rico will regain its rightful place as the most important cruise port in the Caribbean,” said Jan Fomferra, president of San Juan Cruise Port and chief financial officer of Global Ports Holding.
In February 2024, GPH announced that the cruise port, which is now a subsidiary of the management firm, had concluded the debt financing plan needed to move forward with the project. Long-term bonds and capital from GPH are funding the first phase of the infrastructure plan.
A second round of financing is planned, with a goal of another $250 million in investment funds.
GPH has indicated that its total investment into redeveloping the San Juan port eventually could reach $425 million.
The long-term plan is to create two cruise port areas — the Old San Juan District, including piers 1 and 4 (mainly for transit calls and cruise ships) and the Homeport District, including Piers 11-14 and the Pan American piers.
Read Also: San Juan Cruise Port – Amenities and What’s Nearby
Along with the ground-breaking ceremony, the San Juan Cruise Port announced the appointment of Clarivette Díaz as its new general manager. Diaz, who takes on the new role in November 2024, most recently served as general manager of Puerto Rico Terminals, a cargo facility.
San Juan Welcomes Ships From All Major Lines
San Juan typically welcomes about 500 cruise ships per year and has six berths operating. Virtually all of the major cruise lines include San Juan in Caribbean itineraries.
In October 2024, ships scheduled to call include MSC Cruises’ MSC Seascape, Royal Caribbean’s Adventure of the Seas and Freedom of the Seas, and Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Magic and Carnival Celebration, for example.
The winter months are the busiest for the port, when the number of ship calls increases dramatically. In December, four mega-ships operated by Norwegian Cruise Line, Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Viva, Norwegian Escape, and Norwegian Prima, will call, along with luxury ships Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ Seven Seas Mariner and Silversea Cruises’ Silver Shadow, among others.
GPH, headquartered in the UK, also has management agreements with St. Lucia, Antigua, and Nassau, Bahamas.
Recent upgrades to the port in Nassau reflected a $300 million investment, which funded a new cruise berth and the repair of all piers. The port can now welcome six cruise ships simultaneously, including three Oasis- or Icon-class vessels.
