U.S. Transportation Secretary discusses Port Tampa Bay investment

United States Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy visited Port Tampa Bay Monday to discuss an approximately $1 million investment awarded to Tampa-based Gulf Marine Repair Corporation. The funds will be used for training center equipment, wheel loaders and berth upgrades. 

Gulf Marine Repair Corporation’s facility is located along the Ybor Ship Channel, which serves Port Tampa Bay. According to the company’s website, the organization “specializes in the repair, conversion and modification” of commercial vessels, tugs and barges, dredges, small ships and harbor tugs, among other boats. 

Last week, Duffy announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration will provide $35.1 million to support critical infrastructure improvements and workforce development at 45 shipyards across 24 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands. 

“We believe in investing in core infrastructure, whether it’s in your ports, in your airports or in your roads and bridges,” Duffy explained at the Monday gathering. “We want to move people and products as efficiently and effectively as possible.” 

Over 30 million tons of cargo are brought through Port Tampa Bay every year. The asset is also a ship repair center and cruise homeport. 

Additionally, Duffy said that the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority will receive $16.5 million from the Federal Transit Administration to build a new 249-passenger ferry. The boat will be utilized in PSTA’s upcoming Tampa Bay Ferry service, which will connect people from downtown St. Petersburg to downtown Tampa. Hubbard’s Marina will operate the initiative. 

The Bay Breeze, PSTA’s first vessel for the Tampa Bay Ferry service, has arrived in Pinellas County. Photo: PSTA Facebook

“This new vessel will be in addition to the two used vessels PSTA has already acquired, Bay Breeze and Bay Clipper,” wrote PSTA interim communications and public relations manager Amanda Boisen in a statement provided to the Catalyst. “It will take several years for the design and build of the brand-new vessel — this will be an investment in the longevity of the service.” 

She added that an official PSTA announcement is scheduled for later this week. 

Duffy emphasized the importance of “revitalizing American shipbuilding.” He explained that the effort requires “a holistic approach” and that “many different departments of government need to work together to make this happen.” 

“We see now how important shipping is in the world economy,” Duffy continued. “America has to have a different role in building ships and in the maritime industry. When you build commercial vessels, it makes it easier to build military vessels as well.” 

Maritime Administration administrator Stephen Carmel emphasized the impacts of the Tampa Bay area. 

“Tampa is a critical port,” he said. “I believe about nine and a half million barrels net of petroleum products flowed through this port in 2025, making it not only a critical part of maritime dominance, but a critical part of the energy dominance agenda as well.” 

Carmel added that Tampa was selected for the investment due to a variety of factors. One of the “really unique attributes” was location. Port Tampa Bay is ideal for feeder services, which connect local regional ports to major hubs, into the Caribbean and Asia. 

“There is a lot of history here in building ships,” he said. “So, it doesn’t take much to expand that capacity as well. The bones are here.” 

Duffy explained Florida “is a great place to do business.” It is important to support places that “want the investment” and “want to develop the workforce.” 

Paul Anderson, president and CEO of Port Tampa Bay, said Monday that “we have shipyard resources, we have the workforce resources and we have the platform to grow this port to be a contributor to our nation’s success in restoring America’s maritime dominance.”