The permanent Tampa Bay Ferry dock planned for downtown St. Petersburg is getting an $850,000 federal investment, adding another piece of infrastructure needed for service between St. Petersburg and Tampa.
The money, sponsored by U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, was approved by the Trump administration in February through the fiscal 2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development appropriations bill. PSTA plans to mark the award Sept. 4 near the future dock site at 335 Second Ave. NE.
The St. Petersburg dock had remained one of the unresolved pieces of the permanent service after PSTA selected the east end of the Tampa Convention Center for its Tampa stop and began assembling a two-vessel fleet this spring. PSTA bought the Bay Breeze and Bay Clipper in June after its board authorized the purchase and renovation of the used ferries with a $4.86 million federal grant.
That two-boat fleet is intended to avoid one of the operating constraints of the former Cross-Bay Ferry, allowing one vessel to remain in service while the other undergoes maintenance. Both vessels have now begun refurbishment, with the Bay Clipper arriving in Tarpon Springs Aug. 31.
Federal funding is also paying for the system beyond those first two boats. The Federal Transit Administration recently awarded PSTA another $16.5 million through its Passenger Ferry Grant Program to purchase a new vessel.
For now, however, the start of passenger service hinges on getting the Bay Breeze and Bay Clipper ready to operate. PSTA has not announced a launch date and said it expects to set one later this year as refurbishment nears completion. Hubbard’s Marina will operate the planned daily service between St. Petersburg and the Tampa Convention Center, replacing the seasonal, single-vessel model used by the former Cross-Bay Ferry.
Castor, PSTA CEO Brad Miller, St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch, PSTA Board Chair and St. Petersburg City Councilmember Deborah Figgs-Sanders and Hubbard’s Marina owner Capt. Dylan Hubbard are scheduled to participate in the Sept. 4 presentation.