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Puerto Rico's port is filled with history.
Caribbean

More Growth Ahead for San Juan, Puerto Rico Cruise Port 

By: Caitlin Sullivan - April 11, 2025 - 10:11 am

Fresh off $42 million in new port improvements, San Juan’s popular cruise terminal is seeing more growth, Caribbean Journal has learned. 

Puerto Rico’s primary cruise destination is off to a 10 percent jump in traffic so far this year, according to numbers from operator Global Ports Holding, which has an ever-growing portfolio of ports within the region. 

GPH has operated San Juan Cruise Port since 2022, having been selected for a 30-year agreement to operate the port. 

It’s in the midst of a $425 million enhancement project. 

Looking ahead, projections show 2025 growth of around 20 percent, the company revealed during this week’s Seatrade Cruise Global conference in Miami Beach. 

Those numbers come as San Juan is also seeing renewed interest as a homeport. 

San Juan’s port is nearing completion of the first phase of its Panamerican Piers modernization program, which has already seen a total of $42 million in investment.

“Under the leadership of our General Manager, Clarivette Diaz, San Juan Cruise Port’s growth and expansion exemplify the power of collaboration between the private and public sectors. By working together, we can unlock unparalleled opportunities that drive economic growth, enhance infrastructure, and foster a sustainable and thriving tourism industry. This partnership is essential to ensuring that San Juan becomes a leading destination, meeting the needs of our passengers, local communities, and stakeholders,” said Mehmet Kaufman, chairman of Global Ports Holding. 

So what’s next for San Juan? The plan is to ensure that new projects make the port ready to receive even bigger next-generation cruise hips. 

“It’s about reinforcing Puerto Rico’s standing as a strategic port of call in the global cruise industry,” Diaz said. “The economic impact will be significant and lasting and we’re just getting started.”

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