Broward County’s Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale reports that business activity is up by nearly 10 percent and the number of direct jobs by 13 percent, according to a study comparing figures from fiscal years 2010 and 2011 by maritime research company Martin Associates.

“This is an optimistic sign that economic recovery is taking place in South Florida,” said Port Everglades Chief Executive Steve Cernak. The total value of regional economic activity resulting from business at Port Everglades rose to nearly $15.3 billion in FY2011 from $14 billion in FY2010.

As a result of the increased business activity in both cruise and cargo, the economic model estimates that an additional 1,260 new direct jobs were supported by businesses operating at Port Everglades during FY2012, which generated approximately $58 million in wages and salaries.

More than 160,000 Florida jobs are impacted by the port, including more than 11,400 people who work for companies that provide direct services at Port Everglades. In addition, $541.8 million of state and local taxes were generated by activity at the cargo and cruise terminals, including $387.4 million generated by the related users throughout the state.

Increases in cruise passenger activity contributed to the upturn, according to the Martin study. Port Everglades cruise passengers increased by 278,617 passengers from 3.7 million in FY2010 to 3.9 million in FY2011. Specifically, multi-day passenger activity increased by 349,895 passengers (10.6 percent), while daily cruise passenger activity decreased by 71,278 (19.8 percent) due a decline in passengers of Discovery Cruise Lines, which ceased operations in September 2011.

Passengers per average call on multi-day cruises continued to increase from 2,300 in FY2010 to 2,700 in FY2011, due to larger capacity vessels calling Port Everglades, particularly the year-round weekly services of Royal Caribbean International’s Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas.