Dreams of bigger cruise ships homeporting from Tampa are officially dead.
On Thursday, March 19, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill that blocked the proposed cruise port in Manatee County near Tampa, as reported by The Herald-Tribune.
Senate Bill 302 was first introduced by State Sen. Ileana Garcia and was later passed by the Florida Senate with a unanimous 38-0 vote. This granted specific protections to the Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve, specifically prohibiting the necessary dredging required to build the port.
"Florida remains an important destination for cruise expeditions," DeSantis said during the press conference in Bradenton. "There's not really a need to add another port in the middle of a conserved area and aquatic preserve."
He added that the necessary work required to build the new terminal "...would have a major, major change in the lifestyle and the environment of the folks that live in this area."
The new cruise terminal was initially proposed by SSA Marine, a marine terminal operator that's been around since 1949, in January.
Had the proposal been approved, the 328-acre Knott‑Cowen tract, located at the mouth of Tampa Bay next to the Bob Graham Sunshine Skyway Bridge, would have been transformed into a bustling cruise terminal capable of accommodating larger ships.
Because of the Skyway Bridge's height restrictions, only smaller vessels — think Grandeur of the Seas, Rhapsody of the Seas, Carnival Paradise, Norwegian Star, Celebrity Constellation, and Margaritaville at Sea's Islander — can sail from Tampa.
As such, a new terminal on the seaward side of the bridge would have allowed larger, more innovative ships to call Tampa home for the first time.
Opposition against the new Tampa Bay cruise port
From the get-go, the cruise port proposal faced opposition from environmental groups, local residents, and elected officials.
Within days of the announcement, a Change.org petition was launched. It quickly gained traction, garnering thousands of signatures, and by March 19, it had over 19,000 supporters.
"This would be absolutely devastating to Tampa Bay. This is the last shoreline that [is] undeveloped in manatee county and it should stay that way. Such a critical part of [the] bay that is already over developed and over pressured. It would also kill my business as a local fishing guide," one opponent of the proposal said.
Someone else added, "I have lived in this area for over 25 years and we kayak fish in that area. It would be absolutely devastating. The traffic would be unbearable as it already is...and Manatee County is not going to add roads or fix the roads that we already have to accommodate that many people."
"STOP the Destruction! Having been here over 40 years, I've witnessed [an insurmountable] loss of [habitat] and fishing decline...due lack of developmental and environmental control. Tampa Bay is recovering and should be Protected Now and in the Future!" wrote another resident.
"I have lived in Florida my whole life and there's always been destruction left and right but just thinking back to when you actually used to be able to enjoy the scenery and not always hear or see constant construction. [It's] so sad and disappointing how much of the beauty is gone. This port would absolutely destroy the ecosystem and all the living creatures that live there we DON'T need anymore development," chimed in another concerned local.
Moreover, State Sen. Jim Boyd added an important amendment to SB 302 that effectively made it impossible for a private company to build on the sensitive Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve land.
Although the bill gives a few small exceptions, it states that "No further dredging or filling of the submerged lands of the Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve shall be approved or tolerated by the board."
"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 said to his fellow Senators.
Port Tampa Bay had record-breaking cruise passenger numbers in 2025
Even without the addition of larger ships, Tampa’s cruise industry is experiencing steady growth and popularity.
In 2025, Port Tampa Bay welcomed over 1.6 million cruise passengers, along with over 262,000 shipping containers, according to Spectrum Bay News 9.
To accommodate the port's growth, Port Tampa Bay is in the midst of working on its $1.2 billion "Master Plan 2030" vision. This includes building warehouses, expanding terminals, and even constructing a brand-new cruise passenger terminal.
"For us, it’s playing, maintaining the maritime industry, protecting it, allowing it to grow, prosper and integrating ourselves with our future plans and the growth of the region — the city of Tampa," Port Tampa Bay Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer Raul Alfonso told Spectrum News.
