Cruise critics in Key West secured additional ammo following the controversial docking of Celebrity Cruises' Celebrity Apex at the privately-owned Pier B this past weekend.
According to the Miami Herald, the 1,004-foot-long ship was seen jutting out and partially blocking the entrance to the U.S. Navy's Truman Harbor upon docking in the southernmost city earlier this month.
"Any activity that restricts or prohibits vessel transit in or out of the Harbor impacts our defense mission capabilities there," Trice Denny, a spokeswoman for Naval Air Station Key West, told the Herald. "The violation is that it's past the boundaries of the submerged land lease in the deed and it juts out into the opening into Truman Harbor," Denny said. "We need all that opening space to safely maneuver vessels in and out of the harbor."
In a statement, Tom McMurrain, manager of Pier B, said that "it followed up to correct any issues on docking location." "We have a good working relationship with the city, Navy and harbor pilots," he added. "The harbor pilots bring in cruise ships as well as some of the Navy vessels so we all work together in the Harbor to insure the proper docking of ships."
Last weekend's incident came one day after protesters flocked to Key West's Mallory Square to voice their opposition to the arriving cruise ships. Locals recently voted to significantly restrict cruise traffic. However, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a law lifting the ban last year, prompting more protests from unhappy residents.
The Naval Air Station has since drafted a notice of Celebrity Apex's violation to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. "The next step is up to the state," added Denny.
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