by Donald Wood
Last updated: 10:41 AM ET, Tue February 1, 2022
Norwegian Cruise Line announced its new flagship terminal at PortMiami received honorary recognition as the first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold New Construction v4.0 cruise ship terminal in the world.
Developed by the United States Green Building Council, LEED is the world's most widely used green building rating system, and LEED certification is a globally recognized symbol of sustainability achievement.
The state-of-the-art terminal welcomed guests for the first time in August 2021 upon Norwegian's return to service in the U.S. The 188,000 square foot terminal can accommodate cruise vessels carrying up to 5,000 cruise guests and was designed with innovation and sustainability at the forefront.
"We are proud to be recognized as a leader in sustainable construction with the LEED Gold Certification of our incredible new PortMiami terminal B, the Pearl of Miami, the first cruise terminal in the world to receive this certification under the new, more stringent LEED construction standards," Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings CEO Frank Del Rio said.
In addition to significant water quality permits and protections, the terminal includes manatee protections and pollution discharge protections, with plans to have shore power capabilities by the Fall of 2023. The project was designed to perform at least 38 percent better than the average building.
"This certification is a great reflection of how we are driving a positive impact on the environment and society through our global sustainability program, Sail & Sustain, while delivering on our vision to be the vacation of choice for everyone around the world," Del Rio continued. "We will continue to invest, design and develop towards this commitment including further investment at the PortMiami terminal where we are partnering with Miami-Dade County to add shore power capabilities by Fall 2023."
In January, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control's 'Conditional Sailing Order' shifted from mandatory to optional for cruise lines, but Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings announced that its three brands would continue to follow the public health agency's advice.
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