BRADENTON – During his March 19 press conference at the Pier 22 restaurant in downtown Bradenton, Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law a coastal resiliency bill he and some state lawmakers say will prohibit the dredging needed to build and operate a cruise port in the Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve.
In January, Tampa-based Slip Knott LLC and cruise ship terminal operator SSA Marine announced they were exploring the development of a multi-berth cruise ship port in northwest Manatee County, on the Knott-Cowen tract of land near Rattlesnake Key and the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. If built, the proposed cruise port would be located west of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and would accommodate “mega” cruise ships that are too tall to pass under the bridge.
Before signing into law the legislation created by SB 302 and HB 1035, DeSantis noted the coastal resiliency bill would be the first piece of legislation adopted during the 2026 legislative session that he would sign into law.
The new state law that takes effect July 1 includes an amendment Senator Jim Boyd (R-Bradenton) filed on Feb. 18. The following day, the Florida Senate adopted the amended version of SB 302 by a 38-0 vote.
Boyd’s added language to SB 302 specifically addresses the Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve and the law “prohibits the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund from approving the dredging or filling of the submerged lands of the Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve unless such dredging and filling occurs for certain reasons.”
Boyd’s amendment was based on language already included in SB 302 that pertained specifically to the Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserve in the greater Miami area. Before Boyd filed his amendment, SB 302 did not reference the Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve.
On March 9, the Florida House of Representatives adopted matching legislation by a 109-0 vote.
PRESS CONFERENCE COMMENTS
In addition to DeSantis and Boyd, Florida Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Alexis Lambert and State Representative Will Robinson Jr. (R-Bradenton) also spoke during the press conference.
DeSantis said, “You have an issue here in recent months where there was an idea that had been floated to dredge the water of Terra Ceia Bay and establish a new cruise port terminal in Manatee County. That obviously would have a major change in the lifestyle and the environment of the folks that live in this area. There’s not really a need to add another port in the middle of a conserved area and aquatic preserve, especially given that Tampa Bay is already home to three deep water ports, including SeaPort Manatee right here in Manatee County.”
In reference to the new state law being created by SB 302, DeSantis said, “The bill would not allow the dredging that would be necessary to convert this into a commercial cruise ship terminal. The dredging that would be allowed would be for passive recreational fishing, boating and water quality purposes, but not for a new commercial port in this area. The bill further protects this area by requiring any permits to be approved by the state, and subject to public notice,” DeSantis said.
Speaking next, Lambert said, “Our aquatic preserves represent some of the most ecologically significant and beautiful natural areas in the state. Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve was created in 1984 to protect these pristine coastal waters – not just for aesthetics, but also for their scientific value, so they remain for generations to come.
“Senate Bill 302 also underscores our commitment to building stronger communities by directing the department to develop guidelines for using nature-based methods to make our coastal communities more resilient to the impacts of storms and flooding,” Lambert said.
Speaking next, Boyd said, “When the cruise terminal started to be discussed, we said this is just something we can’t allow that to happen in our community, and in that particular spot. As the governor said, there’s plenty of cruise terminals around the state and the country. We support the cruise industry, but just not there. What the governor will do today by signing this is protect that area for generations to come. We’re going to stand firm and protect that,” Boyd said.
Boyd thanked SB 302 sponsor Senator Ileana Garcia and House Bill 1035 sponsor Jim Mooney for supporting his amendment; and he said Robinson and State Rep. Bill Conerly helped get the amended legislation adopted.
“Thank you governor for making this a priority. We’re very grateful,” Boyd said.
Robinson then said, “I cannot think of a worse place in Florida for a mega cruise ship terminal to be than in Terra Ceia.”
“Senator Boyd called me and mentioned this vehicle (the SB 302 amendment). The senator worked with Senator Garcia to tack it on the Senate Bill and then we shipped it over to the House. Representative Mooney was very kind, but at the very end we had a member that wanted to tack on an amendment, and it would have killed the bill. Thankfully, that member decided not to tack on the amendment. This is the perfect example of how the legislature works well. Thank you governor for everything you’ve done. We don’t need a cruise ship out there,” Robinson said.
Joined by others, Boyd and Robinson then flanked DeSantis as he signed the legislation into new state law.
During his Bradenton visit, DeSantis also signed into law the legislation created by HB 1417.
According to the press release issued by the governor’s office later that day, “House Bill 1417 streamlines environmental rule making by repealing the outdated Environmental Regulation Commission, making it faster to update rules to protect our environment and keep our economy thriving.”
BOYD’S AMENDMENT
Boyd’s amendment added language to SB 302 that says, “No further dredging or filling of the submerged lands of the Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve shall be approved or tolerated by the board except: Such minimum dredging and spoiling as may be authorized for public navigation projects or for such minimum dredging and spoiling as may be constituted as a public necessity.”
According to the adopted legislation, “Such minimum dredging and filling as may be authorized for the creation and maintenance of marinas, public boat ramps, piers, and docks and their attendant navigation channels and access roads. Such projects may be authorized only upon a specific finding by the board that there is assurance that the project will be constructed and operated in a manner that will not adversely affect the water quality and utility of the preserve.”
It remains to be seen if the new state law will prohibit the proposed cruise port, as stated by the governor and the state lawmakers. To date, SSA Marine has not publicly commented on the new state law and its potential impact on the proposed cruise port.
