Government Cut

Government Cut is a shipping channel between Miami Beach and Fisher Island that connects the Port of Miami directly to the Atlantic Ocean. The deep waterway allows large container ships and cruise vessels to navigate through and access the harbor.

Congress approved the project in 1902, and dredging work to create this direct route to the harbor was completed in 1905. The channel permanently altered the area's geography, as excavated materials and construction efforts helped develop surrounding islands.

The channel offers observation points where people gather to watch large cargo vessels and cruise ships navigate through the waterway. These viewpoints show how important the passage is to local understanding of Miami's role as a major port.

The best views of the ships are from the shores or waterfront promenades that offer clear sightlines to the channel. Early morning and late afternoon are ideal times to watch vessel traffic and activity.

Creating the channel transformed a peninsula into an island, reshaping Fisher Island as it exists today. This geological change shows how building a waterway can alter the natural landscape of an entire region.