Port Canaveral took in $247.0 million in operating revenue in its 2026 fiscal year, up 13% from $218.4 million the year before, according to an unaudited financial memo in the Canaveral Port Authority's Oct. 28 board packet. The port's fiscal year ended Sept. 30.

That was $9.6 million more than the port budgeted. Chief Financial Officer Jeff Long's memo credits stronger-than-expected cruise business, especially parking.

By the numbers

• Cruise revenue, including parking: $210.0 million, about $10 million over budget. Cruise parking alone came in $8.1 million above budget.
• Cruise traffic: 1,095 cruise calls and 9,176,706 multi-day passenger movements, up from 1,038 calls and 8,602,047 movements in fiscal 2025.
• Cargo: $23.9 million in revenue, $1.9 million below budget, on 5,888,799 tons moved.
• Operating income: $90.0 million, about $11.7 million above budget.
• New marina business: $1.0 million in revenue in its first three months.

The figures are unaudited.

Marina changes ahead

The port plans to close Bluepoints Marina at the end of 2028 to make way for the planned Cruise Terminal 4, according to the agenda item on marina management. Cape Marina would be redeveloped into a new full-service marina to take wet- and dry-slip customers from both marinas, plus the public.

Staff asked the board to approve Founders 3 Management Company to run both marinas for the port during the transition. Under the proposal, it would take over Cape Marina on Jan. 1, 2027, and Bluepoints no later than June 1, 2027. The port would keep marina revenue and pay a monthly management fee of $9,500 for Cape Marina and the greater of $12,000 or 4.5% of revenue for Bluepoints, according to the item.

Aquarium timeline

A proposed fourth amendment to the port's development agreement with the East Coast Zoological Society of Florida would set new deadlines for the aquarium and conservation campus the nonprofit is planning on about 14 acres along the Banana River. The campus will focus on the Indian River Lagoon, and the port's documents list the society's address in care of Brevard Zoo. Construction would start no later than June 30, 2027, and the campus would open no later than March 1, 2030, according to the amendment's master timeline in the board packet. The amendment would also have the port pay the full cost of the George King Boulevard extension and entry roads, instead of sharing those costs under a $3.5 million cap.

Other projects in the packet

• A planned commercial fishing facility with an office building, pavilion, fish-cleaning station and 16 storage units has a total budget of $2,990,439. Port staff and the contractors are working to secure federal permits, according to the port's October capital projects update.
• The board was asked to add $300,000 to the owner's representative contract for Cruise Terminal 10 improvements, bringing it to $708,593, according to item 1.E.

Florida Today reported that the board also honored retiring Chairman Jerry Allender at the meeting. The port had not posted minutes showing the final votes on the items above as of Oct. 30. News 6 previewed the meeting's agenda.