The MA Legislature is poised to authorize a $100mm bond for Expansion. Tourists and travelers, embarking and disembarking from the Raymond Flynn Cruiseport in record numbers, are fueling the need to improve the facilities in the Marine Industrial Park.
Massachusetts port officials are planning on a major upgrade to the Flynn Cruiseport, the biggest renovation to the South Boston Waterfront facility since it was converted from an old Army warehouse more than 30 years ago. The Massachusetts Port Authority anticipates the enactment of an economic development bill that includes $100 million. These funds are planned to upgrade so as to accommodate the huge new cruise ships the industry is building — and the crowds that come with them.
“Globally, the cruise industry is growing like bonkers right now,” said Monty Mathisen, managing editor of Cruise Industry News, according to a Boston Globe report. “There’s an unprecedented amount of growth.” More than 100 ships are scheduled to be delivered during the next decade, Mathisen said, more than triple the size of the backlog four years ago. All three of the big publicly traded cruise ship companies — Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian Cruise Line — are reporting strong profits and are looking to expand, he said.
And Boston, he added, is well positioned to capitalize on that increased interest because of Logan Airport’s proximity to the Flynn Cruiseport, and the number of potential travelers within driving distance. The report also stated that cruise ship traffic has been building at the South Boston terminal. Massport said it had 150 ship visits last year, an increase of more than 30 percent from 2016, and passenger counts increased similarly, to 388,000 in 2017.
Massport expects even better times ahead, with 400,000-plus passengers anticipated this season, chief executive Thomas Glynn said. Cruise ships are now embarking to Cuba and the eastern Caribbean. The terminal’s current season lasts for about six months every year, but Glynn hopes the renovation project could help Massport extend that season into the colder months.
Senator Nick Collins had initiated the funding while in the House of Representatives, where ‘money bills’ originate. As the new Senator, he expects that the Senate will support it, stating, “A major upgrade will take it into the 21st century, as we’re trying to grow these jobs and this corner of the economy.” He added, “However, this can’t happen at the community’s and dockworker’s expense. That’s why the environmental protection and emission reduction infrastructure provisions in the bill are key. I couldn’t support the expansion of the funding otherwise.” Community feedback by directly affected residents, as well as Joanne McDevitt and the members of the City Point Neighborhood Association, were important in the efforts to address this critical public health concern.
The project would take about three years to complete, including planning and permitting time. It would be the biggest upgrade to the nearly 400,000-square-foot complex since Massport opened the cruise terminal in 1986. In addition, the tourism bureau reports that the cruise terminal already plays a critical role in the city’s tourism sector, one that would grow significantly with these renovations, since thousands of passengers disembark and visit the area attractions spending thousands of dollars daily.
