Officials to unveil ‘significant updates’ to Tampa Bay Ferry plan Monday

Representatives from the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA), the city of Tampa and the city of St. Petersburg will be on hand Monday for a press conference outlining what are described as “significant updates” to the Tampa Bay Ferry plan.

The press conference will be held Monday at 10:30 a.m. at the Tampa Convention Center along the waterfront near the docks.

PSTA CEO Brad Miller will be on hand with Tampa City Council members Alan Clendenin and Lynn Hurtak, St. Petersburg City Council member Deborah Figgs-Sanders and Tampa Convention Center Executive Director David Ingram.

It will be the first news on Tampa Bay Ferry service since earlier this year, when PSTA secured a more than $1.67 million federal grant, about half of which was set to be used to build a new permanent ferry dock to support ferry service between downtown St. Pete and Tampa. The other half was earmarked to restore the ferry dock in Dunedin to support the Clearwater Ferry.

Late last year, PSTA selected Hubbard’s Marina as the operator for a new year-round ferry service that will replace what was formerly the Cross Bay Ferry, a seasonal service. The Cross Bay Ferry ceased operations last April amid a contract dispute with the previous out-of-state operators and use of a leased vessel.

PSTA also secured federal funding to purchase a vessel for $1.5 million. With refurbishing costs to the vessel, total investment on the ferry itself is expected to be about $2.5 million. The new vessel can carry up to 250 people, a big upgrade from the previous Cross Bay Ferry’s 149 passenger capacity.

Initially, the ferry is expected to dock near the Vinoy in downtown St. Pete, with docks at the Tampa Convention Center still serving as the Tampa-side connection.

Hubbard’s Marina, which operates out of John’s Pass on Madeira Beach, will operate the Tampa Bay Ferry under the name Tampa Bay Sea Taxi.

It’s not immediately clear what Monday’s update will reveal. While the new vessel purchase was approved, it was contingent on extensive testing of the vessel, which could now be complete.

As of right now late 2025, officials had set a possible start date for the ferry service sometime this year, meaning there could also be new information on service timing and/or schedules.

Eventually, a permanent dock is expected to be built on the St. Pete side of the service route behind the St. Petersburg Museum of History, where the Cross Bay Ferry originally docked.