Port Tampa Bay Weekly Web Update
January 9, 2026
Port Tampa Bay Welcomes Merissa Lynn as New Director of Communications
Please welcome our new Director of Communications, Merissa Lynn.
Merissa brings deep expertise in executive communications, crisis management, and media relations to support Port Tampa Bay’s growth and Vision 2030. She will oversee executive messaging, digital content, crisis communications, and stakeholder engagement, helping ensure the port’s story is communicated clearly and effectively.
Learn more about Merissa here.
January is National Human Trafficking Awareness Month
This January, Port Tampa Bay joins organizations nationwide in recognizing National Human Trafficking Awareness Month to help bring awareness to this serious crime and increase key prevention efforts for human trafficking.
Human trafficking remains a global issue affecting millions of lives, including labor trafficking that can occur within maritime industries where isolation and international operations increase vulnerability. Port Tampa Bay is committed to taking action and raising awareness about this crime within our organization and throughout our communities.
Port Tampa Bay Set for Ambitious Cruise Year in 2026
Port Tampa Bay is gearing up for its busiest cruise year on record, with 397 cruise ship calls scheduled in 2026 across six major cruise lines sailing from Tampa.
In December, Port Tampa Bay successfully accommodated two four-ship cruise days by utilizing a cargo dock as both a temporary terminal and a lay berth, showcasing the flexibility and operational strength of our port.
This continued growth brings significant benefits to our region, including increased local revenues, more jobs and a growing need for expanded cruise terminal capacity to meet rising demand.
Bay News 9 Covers Infrastructure Investments at Port Tampa Bay
Following a historic year of growth in 2025, Port Tampa Bay is advancing a series of infrastructure upgrades to support continued demand across cruise and cargo operations as part of its Vision 2030 Master Plan.
After welcoming more than 1.6 million cruise passengers and handling over 262,000 containers last year, the port is expanding warehouse space, enhancing container terminals, ordering additional cranes, planning a new cruise terminal and installing updated passenger bridges.
These investments ensure Port Tampa Bay can safely, efficiently and reliably meet rising demand while strengthening the region’s economy and supply chain resilience.
Read more at Bay News 9.
Get Your Tickets for Anchor Ball Benefit Gala
Port Tampa Bay is looking ahead to the 2026 Anchor Ball, our annual fundraising gala supporting maritime workforce development and seafarer services.
Proceeds from the Anchor Ball benefit Tampa Port Ministries Seafarers Center and the Tampa Bay Maritime Scholarship Foundation, supporting the people and pathways that sustain our maritime industry.
Purchase tickets and learn more:
Next Port Tampa Bay Board Meeting Set for January 20
The next regular business meeting of the Tampa Port Authority, d/b/a Port Tampa Bay, Board of Commissioners is scheduled for:
Tuesday, January 20, 2026
9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Port Tampa Bay Board Room
1101 Channelside Drive, Tampa, FL 33602
The January agenda will be published one week before the meeting date. Public comments are welcome from anyone who signs in before the meeting. Speakers will be called in the order in which they signed up and allotted up to three (3) minutes.
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