Port Canaveral is now the world's busiest cruise port. After a couple of years of COVID-19-related struggles and declining passenger numbers, Port Canaveral played host to four million multi-day passengers in 2022. It's welcome news to people like Capt. John Murray, the CEO of Port Canaveral. “There’s always been a historical rivalry between Port Canaveral and the southern ports," Murray said. The Florida Ports Council's report shows all of the ports in Florida improved their numbers in 2022, which they desperately needed. Statistics show the number of people boarding cruises in Florida was at its peak right before the pandemic, seeing a 41% increase between 2009 to 2019.Then, the pandemic hit, and in 2022, the cruise industry had 41% fewer passengers compared to 2019. “It was a hard shutdown from 2020 until 2021. It’s great to see it coming back strong," Murray said.Murray believes the growth will continue in 2023 with Port Canaveral boasting four of the world's newest ships and new destinations. “I can tell you 2023 numbers are not going to be anywhere close to what we finished in 2022. They’re going to be much more significant," Murray said.The 2027 projections agree with him. The Florida Ports Council predicts Port Canaveral will see a total of more than six million single-day and multi-day passengers. Top headlines:Reporter, 9-year-old girl killed in Orlando shooting spree: What we knowDylan Lyons identified as TV reporter killed in Orlando shootingBody cam video shows deputies arrest suspect accused of killing reporter, 9-year-old in Orlando