Massachusetts Port Authority, known as Masport, officially opened a new, renovated, section of Black Falcon Terminal. The former World War I warehouse is at the end of an $11 million refurbishment plan that will meet the growing demand of the cruise industry in the region. This launch comes during the peak of Fall cruises to Canada & New England. This time of year there is rarely a day with out a ship in bean town with commonly two ships docking. Over the years, Boston has grown from serving the tiny Royal Majesty (ex-Norwegian Majesty, now Louis Majesty) weekly in the summer, to now berthing the Queen Mary 2 and Voyager class ships.
The new terminal will incorporate more than 60,000 square feet of space for check-in, security and seating.
An interesting feature is the replacement of the old garage style doors with large windows. Guests can now have large vistas of the ships tied up alongside. In keeping with the historical theme of the city, designers decided to keep old painted numerals that designated storage bays on the walls during the terminals service in the war. Also present are the exposed steel support beams, and wooden timbers on the ceiling.
Quotes after the break.
Thomas J. Kinton, Jr., Massport’s CEO & Executive Director
You can only make one first impression, and our cruise terminal is the front door for a world-class port city. With larger ships bringing more visitors every year, and with more vacationers choosing to cruise out of Boston, we had to make this investment. Cruising is a growth industry in Massachusetts and its economic impact extends far beyond the waterfront.’’
Jeffrey Mullan, Massachusetts Department of Transportation Secretary & CEO
Investing in infrastructure to create jobs and economic opportunity is a priority of Governor Patrick and Lieutenant Governor Murray, and this cruise terminal project will offer an economic benefit while at the same time improving the experience for hundreds of thousands of customers.