PSTA Purchases Vessels for New Tampa Bay Ferry Service

The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA), Pinellas County, FL, has purchased the Bay Breeze and Clipper, the two vessels that will become the future Tampa Bay Ferry fleet, marking a major milestone in the agency’s effort to launch a permanent passenger ferry service between St. Petersburg and Tampa.

The vessels successfully completed extensive inspections and sea trials before the purchases were finalized and are scheduled to begin their journeys to Florida in July.

The Bay Breeze in San Francisco and the Clipper in Seattle will be loaded onto separate heavy-lift vessels (lightheartedly known as “ship shipping ships”) and will pass through the Panama Canal en route to a Fort Lauderdale shipyard. There, they will undergo refurbishment, painting, and other upgrades before traveling under their own power to Tampa Bay for final testing and service preparation.

“Finding the right vessels was one of the biggest hurdles in launching this service,” said Brad Miller, PSTA CEO. “Now that we’ve officially purchased the Bay Breeze and Clipper, we can focus on getting them ready to serve Tampa Bay passengers for years to come.”

PSTA is developing the new Tampa Bay Ferry service in partnership with Hubbard’s Marina, which will operate the service. The purchase follows the PSTA Board of Directors’ unanimous approval in April to acquire and renovate two vessels using a $4,863,280 federal grant awarded specifically for the development of the Tampa Bay Ferry service.

The grant funds the purchase and shipping of the vessels, the nationwide vessel search, mechanical inspections and sea trials, and the refurbishment needed to prepare the boats for passenger service. Because the funding is federally designated for this project, it cannot be redirected to other transportation initiatives.

“Hubbard’s Marina searched across the country to find vessels that would be the right fit for Tampa Bay, and we’re confident we’ve found them,” said Captain Mark Hubbard, president at Hubbard’s Marina. “Now our focus turns to preparing the Bay Breeze and Clipper for their new role. Over the coming months, we’ll oversee the refurbishment process and work alongside PSTA to get these vessels ready to welcome passengers.”

The new Tampa Bay Ferry service is being developed as a two-vessel operation, improving on the previous Cross-Bay Ferry model by providing greater operational flexibility and reliability. With two vessels in service, PSTA will be able to maintain operations even when one boat is undergoing routine maintenance, helping create a more dependable service for riders.