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Fears in Miami That Port Expansion Will Destroy Reefs.

Celebrity Equinox becomes third Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. vessel to feature technology that helps scientists understand effects of climate change.

History made as first Miami to Cuba cruise for 50 years sets sail.

Longstanding Univ. of Miami/Royal Caribbean Partnership Serving as Model.

But, it's "a level of risk that you don't have sailing a cruise ship out of Miami," Coast Guard says

But, it's "a level of risk that you don't have sailing a cruise ship out of Miami," Coast Guard says

Miami-based cruise line operator Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and Meyer Turku shipyard signed a memorandum of agreement for two next generation cruise ship orders to be delivered in 2022 and 2024.

Miami-based cruise line operator Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and Meyer Turku shipyard signed a memorandum of agreement for two next generation cruise ship orders to be delivered in 2022 and 2024.

Through the use of NOAA'S' Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System (PORTS®), super-sized ships coming through the recently expanded Panama Canal can now more safely and efficiently enter the Miami seaport. In addition to the improved vessel safety, past NOAA studies have shown that a PORTS system, like the one dedicated by NOAA and PortMiami officials today, can provide considerable economic benefit to the local community. Already one of the busiest ports in the world, Miami's harbor supports over a hundred thousand jobs while providing billions to the national economy.

Stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) is a troubling new disease that is spreading rapidly across the greater Caribbean region, but the etiological agent(s) and the mechanisms(s) of spread are both unknown. First detected off the coast of Miami, Florida, major ocean currents alone do not explain the pattern of spread, with outbreaks occurring across geographically disjunct and distant locations. This has raised concerns by researchers and resource managers that commercial vessels may contribute as vectors to spread of the disease. Despite existing regulatory and management strategies intended to limit coastal marine invasion risks, the efficacy of these measures is still unresolved for ship-borne microorganisms, and disease transport via ballast water and hull biofouling are under examination given the high ship traffic in the region. Here, to help inform the discussion of ships as possible vectors of SCTLD, we provide an overview of the current state of knowledge about ships and their potential to transfer organisms in the greater Caribbean, focusing in particular on ballast water, and outline a set of recommendations for future research.