Operations

Operations Department

The Operations Department at Port Tampa Bay directs and manages various functions and activities 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Functions and activities

  • Operates the Cooperative Vessel Traffic Service (CVTS) along with the U.S. Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg to contact, inform and advise commercial vessels moving through Tampa Bay to ensure safe vessel movements and navigational safety
  • Supervises the operations of the port concession operator (Ports America) for contract compliance and performance in all aspects of service within the Port terminals, including berth assignments, cargo operations and terminal and warehouse operations
  • Establishes policies, procedures and guidelines for the assignment and effective utilization of Port Tampa Bay owned public berths
  • Interprets, explains and enforces regulations and rules on utilization of port facilities and cargo operations
  • Coordinates with terminal operators, stevedores, shippers, ship agents and local, state and federal authorities on an as-needed basis to respond to customer needs, resolve disputes and interpret policies and regulations
  • Evaluates, interprets and applies Port tariff and tenant lease agreement charges to vessels throughput and processes revenue information for initial billing through the Port Finance Department
  • Manages the port’s vessel management program, including data entry and quality control of information needed for vessel billing in accordance with the Port Tariff
  • Participates as a member in  the Executive Committee of the Tampa Bay Harbor Safety and Security Committee to discuss and resolve issues of mutual interest to the stakeholders in the port community, especially in the areas of navigational safety and port security
  • Manages the operation of Port Tampa Bay-owned cruise terminal facilities in compliance with federal, state, local and Port rules and regulations
  • Maintains a wharfing department to report on port cargo transitions and recording as well as damages and repairs to Port Tampa Bay property and interests
  • Manages personnel operations related to the Port Tampa Bay truck scale

24-Hour Contact Information

Contact Information

The Operations Department is manned 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by the on-duty Operations Officer in the CVTS who can be contacted:
Phone: (813) 241-1886
Email: Email Us 
Operations Department fax number: (813) 241-1810
Truck Scale: (813) 241-1710
Monday - Friday 7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

If you have questions about any of the subject matter areas listed below, please call the following personnel or offices at the phone number indicated:

  • For vessel berth requests, assignments or locations of vessels within the Port Tampa Bay, please call the Operations Officer on duty in the CVTS at (813) 241-1886
  • For information regarding specific cargo in a certain container or on a certain vessel coming to Tampa, please call the U.S. Customs & Border Protection Officer on Duty at (813) 712-6000, and select option 12.
  • For information regarding port maintenance dredging, please call Patrick Blair of Port Tampa Bay Engineering at (813) 905-5003 or James Forsyth, the Director of Operations, at (813) 241-1806
  • For cruise information, please visit our Cruise section for schedules, cruise line phone numbers, websites and parking information. For PTB Cruise Operations: (813) 241-1803.

Tampa Cooperative Safety and Security Initiative (TCSSI)

Port Tampa Bay, Tampa Bay International Terminals and Ports America developed the Tampa Cooperative Safety and Security Initiative to increase safety awareness throughout the Port. The concept was initially developed as a local platform to augment and to coincide with safety initiatives mandated by Ports America-Tampa in all of their terminals as well as with the safety practices of other Florida-based terminals. This program is innovative in the State of Florida as it provides plans and safety requirements that all members of the organization agree to comply with at all times. These members include the Port, Ports America, trucking companies, oil terminals, surveyors, shipping lines, shipping agents, line handling companies, bulk terminals, railroad companies and many other related companies with a stake in the port.