WASHINGTON: Port Canaveral is considering charging SpaceX $15,000 every time the company brings one of its rocket boosters to the port after it successfully lands on a drone ship in the Atlantic.
Port staff has proposed a new cargo wharfage charge for aerospace and aircraft items that initially would apply to SpaceX, which has set a goal of being able to return and reuse the first stage of its Falcon 9 rocket. Canaveral Port Authority commissioners will consider the staff proposal on Wednesday. SpaceX has successfully landed three boosters on the drone ship so far, and brought them back through the port.
“We view their cargo passing over our dock just like any other cargo passing our dock,” Port Canaveral Chief Executive Officer John Murray said. “We’re not looking at this as an adversarial relationship. It’s no different than anything else coming across the dock. You have to pay for use of port facilities. That’s how a port makes its money.” But SpaceX is not happy with the proposed fee.
