Why not build a cruise terminal west of Sunshine Bridge in Tampa?

[rluzius]

I wonder if anyone in St Petersburg, Bradenton, or Sarasota has thought about creating a new Cruise terminal west of the Sunshine Bridge?

 

Wouldn't the financial benefit of having Mega ships coming to the area be beneficial? The bridge is limiting the size of ships that can get to Tampa.

 

With Tropicana being headquartered in Bradenton, a commercial port there would be beneficial to them also.

 

It is almost an hour cruise from the Tampa terminals to the Sunshine Bridge @ 10 kts. The Norwegian Dawn makes it under the bridge with just inches to spare.

 

Just food for thought.

[Pyrate13]

Where exactly are you thinking? There's no place west of the bridge in St Pete, and I doubt they would get to dredge a shipping channel in either Sarasota Bay (south due to existing bridges) or the Manatee River area near Bradenton. I just don't see any good locations. Also, they are pretty much residential areas and I'm sure the residents would not be happy either with additional traffic from cruisers as well as support vehicles.

 

Perhaps build a new, higher, center span for the bridge. Cruising time to reach the bridge is no big deal, you're already cruising and enjoying the ship whether to the bridge or beyond.

[Capt_BJ]

I've seen the topic pop up a few times over the years but has never progressed beyond the initial discussion stage.

[bobandsherry]

There has been some discussion on moving the port, not just for cruises but cargo as it would improve the transportation due to much less congestion and more road options. There has been some discussion on changing bridge to a tunnel. But so far that's about as far as it has gone, just discussion.

 

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[rluzius]

There has been some discussion on moving the port, not just for cruises but cargo as it would improve the transportation due to much less congestion and more road options. There has been some discussion on changing bridge to a tunnel. But so far that's about as far as it has gone, just discussion.

 

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To save some money, I would leave the bridge as is and look at the land just Southwest of the bridge in Palmetto. It looks like it is just swamp land anyways.

 

I agree that a cargo terminal and cruise terminal together would benefit everyone from Clearwater to Sarasota with the monetary Rewards.

 

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[BlueHerons]

To save some money, I would leave the bridge as is and look at the land just Southwest of the bridge in Palmetto. It looks like it is just swamp land anyways.

 

 

It's just swamp???? Seriously?

[Pyrate13]

Are you talking about Terra Ceia Bay area? If so, I see environmental issues arising since the Terra Ceia Aquatic preserve is right there as well as the Emerson Point preserve. A little further along is the Robinson Preserve. It's not "just swampland".

[STIguy]

The environmental impact would be massive. Deep water, roads and parking facilities, fuel storage and fuel barges.

Just not seeing it.

[Capt_BJ]

discussions I recall wanted to look at the Ft De Soto area but that being a State Park kinda made the idea a non starter and the beach north of here is fully developed for quite some way .... and no natural inlet of sufficient size once you get away from Tampa Bay

 

IF you found a spot north of the current channel to build a terminal, you would need to dredge and maintain a new channel for 10+ miles as the depths here are less than 30 feet for that far off shore ..... most modern channels for cruise ships are 40+

 

Ditto for those looking at the south side of the Tampa Bay entrance ... let's say land for a terminal was identified in West Bradenton. Water depth in the Manatee River around here is less than 10 feet, around 20 from the channel to the river .... to connect to the existing ship channel and dredge to the location is approx 9 miles to an average of 40 feet depth which must not only be dug, but maintained .....

 

I'm not sure there is a good business case for the project but I don't have an MBA

 

p.s. to confirm my thoughts reference NOAA chart 11412 .... http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/11412.shtml (soundings are in FEET)

[BlueHerons]

I just cant imagine the massive environmental impact.