Another important part of the Port of Seattle’s maritime economy is our vibrant cruise business, which has experienced extraordinary growth over the past decade. In 1999, for instance, just six cruise vessels carrying 6,615 passengers used Port facilities. In 2008, Seattle will serve an estimated 211 cruise ships and more than an estimated 835,000 passengers. The success of our cruise business has a sizeable impact on the local economy as well. Every home-ported ship delivers an estimated $1.4 million in business revenue to the local economy. The industry supported more than 2,000 jobs in 2007 and generated annual business revenue of $268 million—resulting in $6.7 million in annual state and local taxes.