Pilot project kicks off for new Tampa ferry

Provincetown IV is being used in a new Cross Bay Ferry pilot project

NOVEMBER 21, 2016—A six-month pilot project connecting St. Petersburg and Tampa, FL, was recently launched by HMS Ferries, Inc.

The new “Cross Bay Ferry,” which is designed to demonstrate water transportation technology and service options to the residents and businesses of the Tampa Bay region, will be in operation until May 1, 2017.

The new service uses the Provincetown IV, a an aluminum catamaran ferry with a cruising speed of 29 knots and a capacity of 149 passengers. The owner of the vessel is Bay State Cruises, Boston, MA, whch is leasing the vessel to HMS Ferries for the duration of the pilot project.

The “Cross Bay Ferry” is a collaboration between St. Petersburg, Tampa, and Hillsborough and Pinellas County, and operates between the Vinoy Basin in St. Petersburg and the Tampa Convention Center.

The maiden voyage on November 1, 2016 kicked off weekend-service for the month of November, and daily service will begin in December.

Greg Dronkert, President and COO of HMS Ferries, Inc., notes, “The tremendous collaboration between the four local government entities is a positive reflection on the entire Tampa Bay community. At the end of this project the community leaders will be able to better understand the waterborne transportation needs of their constituents. We are excited to be playing a part in such an important and unique initiative.”