Port St. Pete, located on Tampa Bay, is a multi-use facility that capitalizes on its unique assets within the city of St. Petersburg. The Port is located in the heart of downtown St. Petersburg, just a short walk from local shops, restaurants and bars, pristine parkland, and scores of galleries and museums, including the world-renowned Dali Museum. Port St. Pete is the only superyacht marina on Florida’s Gulf Coast. The Port features a four-acre facility with outdoor storage areas and easy access to interstates, major highways and two international airports.

With its existing facilities as well as the presence of many governmental, institutional and academic agencies engaged in maritime research, Port of St. Petersburg has both the institutional capacity and the infrastructure to fill a unique niche as an International Research Port. The St. Petersburg Ocean Team (SPOT) is the premier consortium for marine science, oceanographic, and environmental research agencies and governmental institutions in the Southeast and one of the top such industry clusters in the nation. The downtown waterfront area is a major strength for the City. The City/Port staff is actively engaged with yacht captains on an interpersonal level, developing personal relationships and contacts/ connections with them at events, boat shows, visits, media events, interactions, etc. The goal is to not only promote the Port, but also the City.

A number of large yachts have benefited from the amenities and services available while moored at the Port over the past several years including M/Y Tatoosh, one of the world’s largest yachts at 302 ft. with a crew of 30. This potential large yacht opportunity for the Port has evolved as a result of the proliferation of large yachts being constructed at a rapid pace throughout the world. The Port’s 23-ft project depth and 1200 ft lineal wharf continue to provide the typical services required by large vessels such as fuel, water, sewage pump out, resupply, security, crane service, customs processing, etc. As part of a recently completed $5M wharf renovation, the Port has installed 6 power pedestals to meet the electrical needs of visiting large vessels. The power configurations now available at the Port include 480v, 3-phase, 600 amp service, as well as a variety of other electrical configurations including 220v and 208v service.

Goals & Objectives

  • Build a new Port facility building to expand opportunity for Marine Research in St. Pete
  • Secure tenant interest and funding for a new passenger processing facility
  • Construct additional docking areas for large yachts and other vessels

Current or Planned Investments

  • The future of the Port St. Pete is bright. The megayacht market compliments the research component and maximizes utilization of the Port by providing the many services and amenities needed by large yachts for maintenance and repair. The City is thriving and provides a unique, safe destination for in-state, and out-of-state travelers.

Accomplishments

  • New lease of port building to University of South Florida (USF) St. Petersburg
  • New Lease of a 32,000 sq ft building to St Pete Innovation District and the Technology and Logistics HUB
  • Recipient of Federal Rescue Dollar grant through FDOT of approx. $800,000

Hinterland

Port users would come from other parts of Florida and from around the world as the port focuses on marine science/research facilities, research vessels and other types of vessels including large yachts.

Mission

To provide safe, clean, attractive commercial port facilities for use by the shipping industry and general public, and to provide research and development capability, thereby increasing economic development opportunities throughout the City of St. Petersburg, the greater Tampa Bay area, and West Central Florida by creating new high-paying maritime jobs in our community, while attracting tourism and other maritime industries to our region.