Cruise critics in Key West secured extra ammo following the controversial docking of Celeb Cruises’ Celeb Apex on the privately-owned Pier B this previous weekend.
In response to the Miami Herald, the 1,004-foot-long ship was seen jutting out and partially blocking the doorway to the U.S. Navy’s Truman Harbor upon docking within the southernmost metropolis earlier this month.
“Any exercise that restricts or prohibits vessel transit in or out of the Harbor impacts our protection mission capabilities there,” Trice Denny, a spokeswoman for Naval Air Station Key West, informed the Herald. “The violation is that it’s previous the boundaries of the submerged land lease within the deed and it juts out into the opening into Truman Harbor,” Denny stated. “We want all that opening area to securely maneuver vessels out and in of the harbor.”
In a press release, Tom McMurrain, supervisor of Pier B, stated that “it adopted as much as appropriate any points on docking location.” “We have now a very good working relationship with town, Navy and harbor pilots,” he added. “The harbor pilots usher in cruise ships in addition to a number of the Navy vessels so all of us work collectively within the Harbor to insure the right docking of ships.”
Final weekend’s incident got here at some point after protesters flocked to Key West’s Mallory Sq. to voice their opposition to the arrival cruise ships. Locals not too long ago voted to considerably prohibit cruise site visitors. Nevertheless, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a legislation lifting the ban final yr, prompting extra protests from sad residents.
Correction: the blue-hulled ship pictured on this thread is @CelebrityCruise #Apex, not #Constellation. Apologies for the error.
— Safer, Cleaner Ships (@ProtectKeyWest) February 7, 2022
The Naval Air Station has since drafted a discover of Celeb Apex’s violation to the Florida Division of Environmental Safety. “The subsequent step is as much as the state,” added Denny.
Supply: Journey Plus
