| Bigger port for Tampa?

FLORIDA’S Tampa Bay may be able to accommodate larger cruise ships in the future, if a new terminal proposed by SSA Marine is approved.

The facility, dubbed Knott-Cowen Cruise Port, would be designed to cater for ships too big to fit under the city’s Sunshine Skyway Bridge.

“We believe a new port on the seaward side of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge will complement current and future cruise activities in the region and will bring additional tourism to West Central Florida,” SSA Marine said.

The multi-berth port would be built on 133 hectares of undeveloped coastal land, which is owned by SSA Marine.

However, there has not yet been a formal application submitted by the cruise terminal operator to rezone the property, and the proposal is facing strong backlash from locals, according to a report by Tampa Bay Times.

Construction is expected to take three to five years if the project receives a green light.