Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has signed a coastal resiliency bill that effectively kills plans to construct a new cruise port facility near Tampa.
The bill includes a special amendment specifically restricting work in Manatee County where the proposed cruise terminal was planned.
The bill also forbids dredging activities in the Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve, south of Tampa, unless it is for specific environmental improvements.
DeSantis noted that the existing Port Tampa Bay is sufficient to serve cruise ship tourism in the region and that another terminal would be unnecessary.
Governor says region doesn’t need a new cruise facility
“There’s not really a need to add another port in the middle of a conserved area and an aquatic preserve, especially given that Tampa Bay is already home to three deep-water ports,” the Governor said.
Some cruise industry advocates disagree. The proposed terminal site is south of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, which would have allowed mega cruise ships to call in the region for the first time.
Currently, the largest ships cannot visit Port Tampa Bay due to the bridge’s height clearance.
The cruise terminal proposal was put forward by SSA Marine, which operates a facility at Port Tampa Bay and at other U.S. ports.
Addressing the issue last month, SSA Marine said it is committed to environmental stewardship and to creating long-term economic opportunity for Manatee County and West Central Florida.
From the start, the project faced strong opposition from local residents. An online petition against it drew about 19,000 signatures, with concerns that dredging and construction could negatively impact water quality and damage the preserve’s ecosystem.
For passengers, the signed law means mega ships that cannot clear the Sunshine Skyway Bridge will remain unable to call at the Tampa area.
That limitation would have been lifted had the Manatee County terminal moved forward.
