Port Everglades - Statistics

Statistics

The container handling capacity of the port has been increased with a new 41-acre (170,000 m2) terminal, completed in 2010. The expansion increased Port Everglades' freight handling area by 15%.

Port Everglades is the world's second busiest cruise port, with more than 3.6 million annual revenue cruise passengers. Ships sail year round, but the peak season is from November to April. Port Everglades was once home to RMS Queen Elizabeth when she was laid up as a museum ship from 1968 until 1970. Besides the RMS Queen Elizabeth, Port Everglades has been used to dock many notable and famous ships. In 2004, the Queen Mary 2 completed her maiden voyage and her maiden transatlantic voyage at Port Everglades. In December 2009, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines began using Port Everglades as the home port for the world's largest passenger ship, the Oasis of the Seas; in late 2010, she was joined at Port Everglades by her sister ship Allure of the Seas.

A regular tradition of the condominium residents who live next to the channel of Port Everglades in Everglades House, Sky Harbor East and Point Of Americas I and II is to bid bon-voyage to cruise ships as they embark on their voyages from Port Everglades. To wish the passengers a happy voyage the residents blow horns and ring bells, with the ships usually responding by blowing their horns back. Some residents fly flags of the ships to pay patronage to having sailed on the ship. This tradition is said to only happen at Port Everglades.