Royal Caribbean Galveston terminal earns dual LEED Zero

Published on Oct 21, 2025, 11:31 am CDT

3 min read

Key points

First cruise terminal with LEED Net Zero Energy and Net Zero Carbon
Builds on prior LEED Gold for design and construction
Verification concluded March 2025, certifications awarded June 18, 2025
Partnership included SSA Marine, CodeGreen, and Port of Galveston

Impact

What Changed: Galveston Cruise Terminal achieved LEED Net Zero Energy and Net Zero Carbon.
Why It Matters: Sets a sustainability benchmark for cruise infrastructure and long-term emissions goals.
For Travelers: No schedule changes; check-in experience remains the same in a more efficient building.
Timeline: Operations began November 2022; certifications awarded June 18, 2025; announcement October 20, 2025.

Royal Caribbean Group said its Galveston Cruise Terminal is the first cruise facility to secure both LEED Net Zero Energy and LEED Net Zero Carbon certifications for ongoing operations. The recognition adds to the terminal's LEED Gold for design and construction and underscores a year of measured performance. Verification wrapped in March 2025, with the Net Zero designations awarded on June 18, 2025. For travelers, the milestone does not change embarkation, but it signals a terminal powered and managed to balance energy use and carbon over a full year.

Royal Caribbean Group and the Galveston Cruise Terminal

The 161,000-plus-square-foot Galveston Cruise Terminal opened in November 2022 and serves Royal Caribbean Group ships from the Port of Galveston, near Houston. Building on its LEED Gold design status, the facility has now documented a net zero energy balance and net zero operational carbon over 12 months, a first for cruise terminals. Royal Caribbean Group partnered with terminal operator SSA Marine, consultant CodeGreen, and port leadership to audit energy, water, and waste, then tune systems to peak efficiency before USGBC conferred LEED Net Zero Energy and LEED Net Zero Carbon.

Latest developments

Royal Caribbean Group announced the dual certifications on October 20, 2025, highlighting the collaboration with SSA Marine, CodeGreen, and the Port of Galveston. The company and USGBC leaders said the achievement demonstrates a practical path to lower-impact terminal operations. A commemorative plaque now hangs in the terminal's grand lobby.

Analysis

For travelers, the headline is continuity with benefits under the hood. LEED Net Zero Energy means the Galveston Cruise Terminal balanced its source energy use over a year; LEED Net Zero Carbon confirms net zero operational carbon over that same period. Together, these standards encourage resilient systems, informed maintenance, and tighter monitoring of loads, which can reduce utility disruptions, improve climate control, and stabilize operating costs. As cruise lines and ports scale terminals, Galveston's result provides a template: measure first, retrofit systems, and verify performance over time. If you sail from Galveston, expect the same check-in flow, with a building designed to perform more cleanly.

Final thoughts

Royal Caribbean Galveston terminal earns dual LEED Zero, setting a credible benchmark for cruise-port sustainability. The step from LEED Gold to LEED Net Zero Energy and LEED Net Zero Carbon shows how design intent can translate into verified, year-over-year performance. Travelers should not see operational changes, but the terminal's measured efficiency is a win for the port community and a model other cruise gateways can follow.