Plans for New Cruise Port Near Tampa Hit with Major Setback

Just last month Cruise Fever reported that a new push was underway to bring a new cruise port to the Tampa Bay area that would take away the need to go under the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. 

This new proposal would also allow larger ships that can’t fit under the bridge to be able to access the Tampa area and its 400,000 residents.

But recent developments in the Florida Senate could be halting those plans before they ever see the light of day.

In January 2026, Cruise terminal operator SSA Marine announced plans for a new terminal on the Gulf side of the Skyway Bridge.  This would allow larger ships, which can’t currently access the Tampa Bay port, to sail in and out of the Florida cruise port.

While some welcomed the idea of being able to sail mega ships out of the Tampa Bay area, not everyone was on board.   And now there is a legislative snag that could stop the project in its tracks.

Florida lawmakers are now moving to make sure the project never breaks ground.

A Unanimous Vote

According to news reports, on Wednesday, the Florida Senate passed SB 302 with a unanimous 38-0 vote.

While the bill is technically about coastal issues unrelated to the cruise industry, an important amendment added by State Senator Jim Boyd has basically turned it into a no-go for the new cruise port project.

The amendment gives new protections to the Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve, which is the environmentally sensitive area where SSA Marine hoped to build its deep-water terminal.

“No further dredging or filling of the submerged lands 71 of the Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve shall be approved or 72 tolerated by the board,” the bill states, giving a few small exceptions afterward.

The “Dredging” Problem

For the new port to even have a chance, developers would need to dig a 4.5-mile long channel to depths of about 60 feet to accommodate the newest cruise ships.   At least, these were the numbers given by some environmental experts that have spoken at recent community rallies.

Senator Boyd’s amendment makes that digging almost impossible to permit.

“In an effort to protect the pristine coastal area of East Tampa Bay, which has small keys, little bays, and mangroves, this amendment restricts the dredging or filling of submerged lands within the Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve,” Boyd stated during the session.

The Debate Goes On

The legislative vote comes after weeks of discussion in Manatee County. Some opposition movements have grown, even while some local residents have pushed for the project to continue.

A Change.org petition to “Stop the Skyway Cruise Port” has received over 19,000 signatures.

Some public meetings have become so heated that county officials reported staffers and their families have faced harassment.  This has led to some lawmakers calling for a “pause” on all port-related arguments.

What Now?

The project isn’t officially dead yet, but it’s not looking good so far. The bill now moves to the Florida House, where another bill (HB 1035) awaits.

If the House bill is anything like the Senate’s and the Governor signs it, the law would take effect on July 1, 2026.

For the developers at SSA Marine, who recently bought Rattlesnake Key for $18 million as a “buffer zone,” the project is on shaky ground.