Port Galveston advances its environmental initiatives related to cruise activity

In preparing for more cruise ships to call on the port, Galveston Wharves is undertaking several initiatives with its partners to bring about major changes to minimize the environmental footprint.

“We could not have envisioned where our Green Marine journey would take us when we earned certification in 2021,” Rodger Rees, Galveston Wharves’ Port Director and CEO, says. “With the commitment of our board of trustees and staff, we’re identifying opportunities for partnerships on environmental programs unimagined just a few years ago.”

A new interior roadway will reduce traffic congestion and idling time for vehicles arriving or departing with cruise travellers, as well as for delivery trucks. The port also plans to install 28 electric vehicle charging stations at its cruise parking lots.

The new Royal Caribbean cruise terminal at Port Galveston will be 100% solar-powered, making it the first zero-energy cruise terminal in Texas, when it opens later this year.

In addition to exploring the feasibility of shore power, Port Galveston is currently a leader in homeporting an LNG-fueled cruise ship, the newly built Carnival Jubilee.