Photo courtesy of PSTA
A permanent Tampa Bay Ferry dock in downtown St. Petersburg is one step closer to reality. On Sept. 4, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor gave $850,000 in federal funding to the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA), according to a press release from PSTA.
Castor presented the check near the future dock site. St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch, PSTA leaders and people from Hubbard’s Marina joined her, the release said.
Castor sponsored the funding. It came from the Fiscal Year 2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill. The money will help PSTA build a spot where ferry passengers can board in downtown St. Petersburg, the release said.
“This is another piece of the puzzle coming together,” said Brad Miller, PSTA CEO, in the release. He said PSTA is “grateful to Congresswoman Castor for helping secure this funding.” He added that the project is making “steady progress toward bringing the ferry back.”
Castor said investing in the ferry gives people “another way to get around” the region. She said it will also strengthen the link between St. Petersburg and Tampa. She said she is proud to have helped get funding for a permanent dock.
$16.5 Million Grant Will Buy a New Boat
The dock funding follows another win for PSTA. On Aug. 28, the Federal Transit Administration gave the agency $16.5 million to buy a brand-new ferry boat, according to a separate PSTA release. The money comes from the agency’s Passenger Ferry Grant Program.
The new boat will join two older boats PSTA already owns: the 1994 Bay Breeze and the 1990 Bay Clipper, the release said. PSTA said the new boat will carry more passengers and help make the service more reliable for years to come.
“Thank you to U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and the Federal Transit Administration for this transformational investment in the future of passenger ferry transportation in Tampa Bay,” Miller said in the release. He said PSTA is “building a ferry service that is designed to be reliable, sustainable, and here for the long term.”
Deborah Figgs-Sanders, chair of the PSTA Board of Directors, called the grant “a tremendous vote of confidence in Tampa Bay and in the future of regional transportation.” She said PSTA has “been intentional about building this service the right way from the beginning.”
PSTA plans to design the new boat and hire a U.S. shipbuilder. The goal is to have it ready by 2029 or 2030.
Vessels Undergoing Refurbishment
Work is also moving forward on the two older boats that will run the ferry route in the meantime. The Bay Breeze has arrived at Tarpon Marine Service in Tarpon Springs and repair work has begun, the releases said. The Bay Clipper is expected to arrive soon and will also be fixed up.
Captain Dylan Hubbard owns Hubbard’s Marina, which will run the ferry. He said in the release that “it’s nice to see the pieces starting to come together.” He thanked Castor for her support and said the team is still getting things ready for launch.
PSTA said having two boats gives the service more flexibility. One boat can keep running while the other gets fixed or serviced.
“With vessels arriving, refurbishment underway, and now the federal support to add a brand-new boat to the fleet, we are closer than ever to making this vision a reality,” Miller said.
PSTA said it will announce a start date for ferry service later this year. That will happen once repairs on the Bay Breeze and Bay Clipper are almost done. The ferry will connect downtown St. Petersburg and Tampa, giving people another way to cross Tampa Bay.
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