Following extended assessments to ensure channel safety and navigability, as well as the full operation of shoreside facilities, Port Tampa Bay officially reopened for marine traffic late Saturday afternoon, September 28, 2024 – three days after Hurricane Helene passed offshore of Florida’s west coast.
The port shared the reopening update at 4:15 p.m., noting a slight depth restriction for incoming vessels.
“Port Tampa Bay has resumed vessel operations and our port’s shipping channels are officially re-opened, with a 28′ depth restriction,” the notification read.
This depth would refer to a vessel’s draft, the portion of a ship that is underwater and must be carefully accounted for to ensure there are no below-the-surface obstacles or collisions.
The restrictions are expected to be only temporary, though no timeline has been given for exactly when the port may return to operation without any limitation.
“Our hope is that the port’s shipping channels will be functional at their full depths shortly. Port staff fully assessed the docks, wharfs, and terminals for safety,” the statement continued.
Port Tampa Bay is now permitting vessels to return, prioritizing vessels in different ways for the most efficient return to service and respecting different commercial considerations and needs.
“Some of the first vessels to return will be fuel tankers, cruise ships and vessels carrying perishable cargo,” the port explained.
The first cruise ship to enter the channel to Tampa Bay is Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Paradise, which is due to debark passengers but will not be embarking new travelers immediately, as her next sailing has been cancelled.
Not only is this ship the one most significantly delayed – she was originally scheduled to end her current cruise on Thursday, September 26, but the port was closed – but Carnival Paradise also has a maximum draft of just 25.5 feet. This ensures she is well within the temporary depth restriction for safely transiting the channel.
Additional cruise ships that have itinerary changes due to the port’s extended closure are three Royal Caribbean vessels: Serenade of the Seas, Grandeur of the Seas, and Enchantments of the Seas.
Margaritaville at Sea’s Islander is also impacted and will not be returning to her homeport until Monday, September 30.
At this time, no other cruise ships have yet entered the channel to head for the cruise terminal. It takes roughly three hours for a vessel to transit the channel from the mouth of Tampa Bay, under the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, and to the cruise terminals on Channelside Drive.
Because of the restrictions as the port reopens, it is possible that only one ship is being permitted in the channel at a time, or else there may be greater speed limitations at the moment.
It is also possible that prioritizing fuel tankers and perishable card is taking precedence over additional cruise ships that are not as significantly delayed as Carnival Paradise has been.
Serenade of the Seas, for example, was to have returned to Tampa on Friday, September 27, and it is likely she will be the next cruise ship permitted to return to the cruise terminal. The Radiance-class ship has a trickier draft, however, at almost exactly 28 feet – the temporary limit set by the port.
Grandeur of the Seas has a smaller draft at 26 feet, but was only scheduled to return to Port Tampa Bay on Saturday, September 28, so while she is delayed, it is not yet as significant of a diversion.
Read Also: How Ship Draft Affects a Ship’s Performance
Likewise, Enchantment of the Seas is a smaller vessel with a 25-foot draft and was also originally scheduled for Saturday, September 28.
Margaritaville at Sea Islander has a 25.5-foot draft and is not scheduled to return to Tampa until Sunday, September 29. At this time, the ship has already been delayed until Monday as other marine traffic is prioritized in the channel first.
Cruise guests are urged to contact their cruise lines directly as the port does not have details of itinerary updates, delays, or adjustments. Those changes will be communicated from individual cruise lines.
Why the Extended Closure?
Port Tampa Bay first closed at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, September 25 as Hurricane Helene moved north through the eastern Gulf of Mexico offshore of the Florida peninsula.
While the storm did not make landfall until reaching the Florida panhandle, the extensive wind field drove heavy storm surge and flash flooding along Florida’s west coast, including throughout the Tampa region.
This made it difficult for port officials to thoroughly inspect the port facilities and ensure full operation, channel safety, and shoreside functionality.
Therefore, even though other Florida homeports – Port Canaveral and Jacksonville – reopened more quickly, Port Tampa Bay had to be more cautious.
“We want to express our sincere appreciation to those who helped our port prepare and recover from the impact of the storm,” the port said on its website.
“The port’s Operations, Security, Facilities and Engineering staff, maritime community, the U.S. Coast Guard, and our local law enforcement and emergency response agencies were critical to our ability to minimize the effects of the storm and help our port to return to operations as soon as safely possible. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone who was impacted by Hurricane Helene.”
A variety of agencies assisted with keeping the port safe and ensuring its reopening as quickly as possible.
