Known primarily for its cruise ships, Port Canaveral has been concentrating its growing commercial focus on “robust” trade already coming from Central and South America.

“There is untapped potential for containers, whether through direct call or via feeder vessel, and short-sea shipping of domestic loads, all, again, because of our role as Orlando’s port,” said Port Canaveral CEO J. Stanley “Stan” Payne.

Port Canaveral -- What is there:

Located at the eastern end of the Beachline Expressway, a straight line from Orlando and north of Cocoa Beach, the port is known primarily as a cruise stop, handling an average of 2.8 million passengers a year.

A deepwater location that has served a vital link in receiving, tracking and retrieving space vehicles for Cape Canaveral, the channel, at 44 feet deep, annually handles nearly 3 million tons of cargo. Cement, petroleum, lumber, automobiles and citrus are among the main products.

The 49-acre facility has more than 300,000 feet of dockside warehousing.

Jobs: 13,093 --  2,309 cargo, 8,908 cruise, 427 marina, and 1,369 real estate.

Economic impact: $648.8 million of direct and indirect wages, salaries and local consumption expenditures

Revenue: $1.1 billion

Taxes: $48 million state and local

Cruise lines: Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Lines, Norwegian Cruise Lines and Disney Cruise Lines.

The port is overseen by a five-member elected Port Authority, which sets fiscal, regulatory and operational policies.

Desires growth:

Building two mult-ipurpose cargo piers: Piers 5 & 8.

On the north side of the port, one pier would be used to handle oil and other liquid cargoes such as citrus juice; the other for containers and other cargo, providing space for up to 800,000 tons.

Each would share a 100,000-square-foot warehouse.

Both are in the design stage.

Cost: $58 million.

Hindrances to growth:

Money. Specifically, obtaining state and federal grants for the envisioned $58 million cargo piers that will be partially funded by the Port Authority.

The port is currently funding its own construction of the new $52 million cruise terminal.

Seven questions with J. Stanley “Stan” Payne, CEO, Port Canaveral:

SSN: Where does the Port of Canaveral view itself in the footprint of Gov. Scott’s dream to attract more growth from the Panama Canal expansion?

Payne:  The impact of the expansion of the Panama Canal has yet to be seen. I think Florida’s advantages in the north/south trade to robust economies in Central and South America, as a foundation for growth, are quite overlooked. As the port closest to Orlando, we will have an opportunity to develop a niche of feeder services -- direct services by smaller lines, and specialized services -- and perhaps focus on lines that can be a focal point in Port Canaveral but not in larger ports ..."

SSN:  What is the desired growth in the next five to 20 years for the port?

Payne: Interestingly, Port Canaveral has grown during the dark economic times of the past few years, setting a record for operating revenues in 2011, a 13 percent increase over 2010. There was growth across the whole spectrum of our business segments, with new records set in cruise passengers and petroleum imports. 

As the economy rebounds, our strategic location close to Orlando and Central Florida will prompt a dramatic rise in building products, from lumber to aggregate for road building.

There is untapped potential for containers, whether through direct call or via feeder vessel, and short sea-shipping of domestic loads, all, again, because of our role as Orlando’s port. 

Our cruise growth has been very strong and will continue to be.

SSN: What will it take to reach this point?