Port Canaveral board approves 2025 legislative priorities, new asset‑management system and design work for terminals

Port Canaveral Authority commissioners on Jan. 29 approved the port’s 2025 legislative priorities, advanced design work on multiple cruise terminals and voted to implement a new enterprise asset‑management system, while accepting quarterly financial results and approving a 5% salary increase for the chief executive.

Diane Lunsman, speaking as port staff, opened the substantive portion of the meeting with the legislative priorities she will advance in this year’s Florida legislative session. "This is an annual occurrence where I come before the board with our legislative priorities for the session," Lunsman said, outlining categories that include safety and security, supply‑chain stability, seaport resiliency, energy security, environmental protections for waterways such as the Indian River Lagoon, and support for Florida’s space‑operations activities.

The commission approved Lunsman’s proposed 2025 legislative priorities as part of the consent agenda. Commissioners did not amend the priorities during the meeting.

Why it matters: Port officials said the priorities are aimed at protecting the port’s role in the maritime transportation system and preserving its capacity to move cruise passengers, fuel and other commodities that feed Central Florida and the Space Coast economy. The board and staff repeatedly cited the port’s recent operating performance and regional role in fuel resilience and disaster response as background for the priorities.

Operational and financial highlights

Captain Murray, the port’s chief executive officer, reported record activity in recent months and described Jan. 29 as a management update punctuated by operational milestones. "We had the busiest day ever in this port last Saturday," he said, citing a single busy day that included six cruise vessels, one gaming vessel, nine ships total in port, six cargo vessels and multiple bunker barges including…