The Port of Fort Pierce could take on a new role tied to Florida’s space industry under a draft update to the county-owned port’s master plan.
St. Lucie County is considering adding a Launch Vehicle Recovery Facility, a staging area for vessels involved in recovering rocket components after launches from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
The idea was included in a 256-page draft master plan update discussed at a June 1 community meeting at the Fort Pierce Yacht Club.
County documents describe the proposal as part of a broader effort to connect the Port of Fort Pierce to Florida’s Spaceport System while also planning for continued marine-industrial uses at the port.
What is being proposed at the Port of Fort Pierce?
St. Lucie County’s draft master plan says the port could add a Launch Vehicle Recovery Facility, described as a dedicated, controlled-access area for launch vehicle recovery vessels, autonomous drone ships and support craft.
According to the draft, the facility would serve as a staging ground for offshore recovery of rocket components after launches from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
The draft plan can be found here: https://slchalfcent.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2026-Port-of-Fort-Pierce-Master-Plan-Reinvestment-Strategy.pdf
What would the facility include?
The draft update says the site would have a dedicated access road connecting to North Second Street and a security checkpoint intended to meet federal and commercial security standards.
At the waterfront, the draft calls for an approximately 700-foot wharf with a heavy-duty apron up to 100 feet wide. The plan says that area could support mobile harbor cranes, storage of recovered launch vehicle boosters and other specialized transport equipment.
The wharf is described as large enough to handle one autonomous drone ship and its support ships, or two drone ships without the support ships. The draft also says it could accommodate one Handysize-class vessel for possible future import-export use.
Why is the county looking at this now?
The draft plan cites the 2024 Florida Spaceport System Maritime Intermodal Transportation Study as support for adding more marine capacity tied to space launches. That study found constraints in Florida’s existing port network, especially at Port Canaveral.
The draft says projected launch cadence could increase by 300% to 500% over the coming decades, creating demand for more berthing space, turning basins and logistics areas. It also says Florida faces competition from other states, including Texas, as companies expand launch and recovery operations elsewhere.
How could the project fit with the port’s current uses?
The draft master plan says the proposed recovery facility could also be used for other purposes, including maintenance, repair and overhaul of megayachts, which already is one of the port’s main lines of business.
What happens next?
For now, the proposal is part of a draft master plan update, not a final approved project. The concept was discussed at a June 1 community meeting at the Fort Pierce Yacht Club as the county reviews the 256-page planning document.
If adopted, the update would revise the port’s long-range planning framework to include the Launch Vehicle Recovery Facility among its possible future improvements.
This story was created by Wicker Perlis, Wicker.Perlis@tcpalm.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Fort Pierce port eyes new space industry facility, other updates
Reporting by Wicker Perlis, Treasure Coast Newspapers / Treasure Coast Newspapers
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