We Will Start Off with the Pledge of Allegiance Window

1

CAPTIONING

NOVEMBER 22, 2013

CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE

***This is not an official, verbatim transcript of the ***following meeting. It should be used for informational ***purposes only. This document has not been edited; ***therefore, there may be additions, deletions, or words ***that did not translate.

> JAY VICKERS: GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO THE FRIDAY, NOVEMBER22ndMEETING OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

WE WILL START OFF WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE WINDOW.

WENDELL, WILL YOU PLEASE LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE?

> I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION, UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

> JAY VICKERS: THANK YOU.

NEXT, JOSEPH, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ THE PURPOSE OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE?

> YES, I WILL READ THAT AND AT THE END OF THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ONE MOMENT OF VIOLENCE FOR OUR DECEASED PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY.

TODAY IS THE 50thANNIVERSARY OF HIS ASSASSINATION.

THE PURPOSE AND THE SCOPE OF ACTIVITIES OF THIS COMMITTEE SHALL BE FOLLOWING TO REVIEW AND EVALUATE COUNTY ISSUESAS REQUESTED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTYCOMMISSIONERS OR BY THE COUNTYADMINISTRATOR TO INITIATE PROPOSALS AND TO FORWARD THEM TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERSAS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ACTIONS.

ONE MOMENT OF SILENCE.

AMEN.

THANK YOU.

> JAY VICKERS: THANK YOU, JOSEPH.

NEXT, ARE THE INTRODUCTIONS

> SPENCER KASS: GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE, SPENCER KASS.

> RON GOVIN: RON GOVIN.

> TONY JACKSON: TONY JACKSON, I WAS APPOINTED BY COMMISSIONER AL HIGGINBOTHAM.

> JOSEPH CAETANO: JOSEPH CAETANO.

> JAY VICKERS.

> GAYE TOWNSEND.

> LINDA PORTER.

> LINDA PORTER.

> JAY VICKERS: THANK YOU ALL.

NEXT IS PUBLIC COMMENT.

I DON'T SEE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT.

SO I THINK WE ARE GOOD THERE AND NEXT UP WOULD BE THE REVIEW OF THE RECAP.

IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND REVIEWING THAT IN YOUR BINDER.

SPENCER IS WHERE IS YOUR IMMEDIATE MOTION?

> SPENCER KASS: I WAS GOING TO.

I DIDN'T WANT TO GET YELLED AT FOR THE HOLIDAYS.

> JAY VICKERS: YELLED AT?

WE HAVE A FIRST AND A SECOND.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE RECAP.

[ CHORUS OF AYES ]

ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.

YOU KNOW, NEXT UP, MR.THOMPSON, WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING OUT ON LAST MINUTE.

WE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF SCHEDULING DIFFICULTY FOR THIS MONTH.

WE HAD WANTED TO GET MR.THOMPSON OUT FOR SOMETIME.

HE WAS VERY GRACIOUS IN ACCOMMODATING US LAST MINUTE.

SO WE PULLED HIM UP A COUPLE OF MONTHS AND WE SINCERELY APPRECIATE HIS SCHEDULING FLEXIBILITY TO COME OUT ON SHORT NOTICE AND HELP US OUT OF A BIND.

WITH THAT, WELCOME.

> IT'S A PLEASURE BEING HERE TO SHARE SOME INFORMATION REGARDING THE TAMPA PILOTS ASSOCIATION AND HOW THEY INTERTWINE WITH THE TAMPA BAY AREA.

THE PRESENTATION THIS MORNING IS TWO PARTS.

THE FIRST PART IS A VIDEO.

THERE ARE THREE DEEP WATER PORTS IN THE TAMPA BAY AREA, ON TAMPABAY AND St.PETERSBURG, AND WE SERVE ALL THREE OF THOSE PORTS OUT OF THE 14 DEEP WATER PORTS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA.

THE VIDEO WILL GIVE YOU A GENERAL OVERVIEW OF FLORIDA PILOTS ASSOCIATION.

AND THEN A PRESENTATION AFTER THAT WILL INCLUDE THE SPECIFICS REGARDING THE TAMPA BAY REGION.

AND IF I CAN GET THIS TO DO CORRECTLY.

(BEGINNING OF VIDEO)

> ONE MISTAKE IS ALL IT TAKES.

YOU CAN'T AFFORD MAKE A MISTAKE IN THIS PROFESSION.

IT COULD BE A CATASTROPHE.

HERE, YOU HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE YOUR ABILITY WE LOT PILOTS BOARDING AND DISEMBARKING.

> THE SEAS WERE 10 TO 12FEET.

> AND THE WHOLE THING STARTS GOING BACK.

> IT WAS A VERY RISKY POSITION FOR US TO BE IN.

> AS PART OF OUR JOB, WE PUT OUR PERSONAL SAFETY ON THE LINE.

> THIS JOB IS NOT FOR EVERYBODY.

> SINCE 1868, THE FLORIDA HARBOR PILOTS HAVE PLAYED A VITAL ROLE IN THE DAYTODAY MOVEMENT OF COMMERCE.

EACH YEAR PILOTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SAFE AND EFFICIENT MOVEMENT OF $50BILLION IN FLORIDA IMPORTS AND EXPORTS.

120MILLIONTONS OF CARGO, 10MILLION PASSENGERS AND 41,600 SHIPS.

24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, 365 DAYS A YEAR, THROUGH STORMS, HIGH SEAS AND THE DEAD OF NIGHT, THE 100 MEN AND WOMEN THAT MAKE UP FLORIDA'S HARBOR PILOTS ENABLE THE STATE'S LIFE GIVING ESSENTIALS TO PASS SAFELY THROUGH THE WATERWAYS ALL AT NO COST TO RESIDENTS.

SHIPS MUST BE CAREFULLY MANEUVERED THROUGH BAYS, THROUGH CHANNELS AND UNDER BRIDGES, CLOSE TO FLORIDA'S SEWER LINES, OIL TANKERS, CRUISE SHIPS AND CRUISE LINERS.

ALL MUST BE DONE WITH CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS, TIDES AND CURRENTS.

THIS IS THE MOST DANGEROUS PART OF THE SHIP'S VOYAGE, BECAUSE THE SECURITY OF THE SHIP IS NOT THE ONLY FACTOR.

PILOTS PUT THEIR OWN PERSONAL SAFETY AT RISK BY BOARDING AND DISEMBARKING FROM SHIPS WHILE THEY ARE UNDERWAY AT SEA.

PILOTS CAN AND HAVE BEEN INJURED OR KILLED DURING THE TRANSFER OF ONE VESSEL TO THE OTHER.

HARBOR PILOTS ARE ON CALL FOR SEVERAL WEEKS AT A TIME.

AND NO MATTER WHERE THEY ARE DURING THEIR ON CALL DUTY, THEY MUST BE PREPARED TO BOARD A SHIP WITH ONLY ONE TO TWO HOURS NOTICE.

WHEN A SHIP HAS BEEN CONFIRMED FOR ENTRY, THE FIRST HARBOR PILOT ON THE ROTATION WILL BEGIN THE PROCESS OF GUIDING IT SAFELY BACK TO ITS DOCK.

PILOTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR NAVIGATING THESE VESSELS INTO PORT FROM THE SEA BUOY AND GUIDING THEM OUT OF THE PORT WHEN THEY ARE READY TO DEPART.

SCHEDULES ARE CONSTANTLY CHANGING, DUE TO TIDE, AND TIMING, MAKING MOVING PARTS A NECESSITY.

HARBOR PILOTS ALSO SERVE AS THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE FOR ANY VESSEL ENTERING THE PORT.

FOR DECADES, THEY HAVE BEEN TAKING CHARGE OF FOREIGN FLAG CARGO AND CRUISE SHIPS AND DIRECTLY THEIR MOVEMENT WITHIN THE PORTS.

A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD AND LOCAL PORT AUTHORITIES ENABLES PILOTS TO CONTACT THE PROPER AUTHORITIES IF SOMETHING SEEMS SUSPICIOUS OR OUT OF PLACE.

IF A PORT CLOSES DUE TO A SECURITY THREAT, HURRICANE OR OTHER NATURAL DISASTER, PILOTS COORDINATE THE SAFE AND EFFICIENT MOVEMENT OF VESSELS, ENSURING, CARGO, AND COASTLINE AND FLORIDIANS ARE SAFE FROM HARM.

WE WORK WITH THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD AND PORT AUTHORITIES TO PLAN FUTURE PROJECTS GROWTH WITHIN THAT PORT.

THIS INCLUDES DICTATING AND CONTROLLING THE DEPTHS OF CHANNELS AND BERTHS.

THE OVERALL GOAL OF THE HARBOR CHANNEL IS TO PROTECT LIFE, IN ADDITION HARBOR SAFETY.

BECAUSE THEY ARE LICENSED THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION, THEY CATER TO NO INTEREST OTHER THAN THE INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE OF FLORIDA.

BECOMING A HARBOR PILOT IS ARGUABLE ONE OF THE MOST CHALLENGING ENDEAVORS A PROFESSIONAL MARINER CAN EXPECT TO GO THROUGH.

TO BECOME A HARBOR PILOT TAKES YEARS OF EXPERIENCE ON THE SEA AND COMPLETION OF RIGOROUS TRAINING THAT WILL TEST THEIR KNOWLEDGE, CHALLENGE THEIR ABILITIES AND DEMAND SOUND DECISION MAKING.

WHAT SEPARATES THIS GROUP OF SPECIALISTS FROM THE REST IS TRAINING AND LOCAL EXPERTISE.

HARBOR PILOTS ARE EXPERTS IN CLOSE QUARTER SHIP HANDLING, SPECIFIC TO THE PORTS THEY SERVE.

SHIP CAPTAINS ARE NOT.

WHILE SHIPS AT SEA HAVE A STANDING ORDER TO COME NO CLOSER THAN WITHIN 1 TO 20MILES OF EACH OTHER, VESSELS NAVIGATED BY HARBOR PILOTS WILL OFTEN PASS WITHIN FEET OF EACH OTHER.

NO ONE ELSE, INCLUDE THE SHIP CAPTAINS RECEIVE THE INTENSE TRAINING OR HAVE THE LOCAL KNOWLEDGE THAT ALLOW HARBOR PILOTS TO PROVIDE SAFE, QUALITY AND ECONOMICALLY EFFICIENT PASSAGE OF SLIPS THROUGH THE PORTS.

MOST HARBOR PILOTS IN FLORIDA ARE MARITIME ACADEMY GRADUATES, HAVING SPENT AN AVERAGE OF 8 TO 12 YEARS ON OCEANGOING VESSELS AS LICENSED DECK OFFICERS AND CAPTAINS, BEFORE BECOMING PILOTS.

CANDIDATES MUST TAKE AN INTENSE COMPREHENSIVE TWODAY EXAM, COMPETING WITH OTHER MARINERS AROUND THE COUNTRY.

THE HIGHEST SCORING MARINERS ARE NORMALLY APPOINTED TO A SPECIFICPORT.

AT THIS TIME, THEY ENTER A TWO TO THREE YEAR APPRENTICE PROGRAM, WHERE THEY GET HANDS ON TRAINING UNDER SENIOR PILOTS IN THAT PORT.

THIS TIME TESTED METHOD OF TRAINING GUARANTEES PILOTS HAVE THE TOOLS THEY NEED, ALONG WITH THE INDEPENDENT JUDGMENT NECESSARY TO SAFELY MOVE COMMERCE AND TOURISM INTO OUR STATE AND PROTECT THE PORTS AS THEY HAVE FOR OVER 140 YEARS.

100 MEN AND WOMEN WHO CARRY WITH THEM A LEGACY OF ADMIRED STILL AND UNPARALLELED JUDGMENT, TRAINED AND EXPERIENCED, THEY KEEP OUR PORTS SAFE AND OUR STATE OPEN FOR BUSINESS.

ORCHESTRATING AND CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF ALL TRAFFIC WITHIN THE PORT, THEY PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE TO ENSURE OUR STATE'S LIFE.

FLORIDA'S HARBOR PILOTS, THEY ARE FLORIDA'S NAVIGATORS.

(END OF VIDEO).

> WE HAVE BEEN SERVING THE TAMPA MARITIME COMMUNITY SINCE 1886.

WE ARE CELEBRATING 125 YEARS OF BRINGING VESSELS INTO THE PORT THAT HAVE MADE THE TAMPABAY REGION FLOURISH.

WE GENERALLY HAVE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 22 AND 24 PILOTS.

OUR COMPLIMENT RIGHT NOW IS 22 PILOTS.

WE STAND TWO WATCH SECTIONS, 11 PILOTS PER WATCH.

THOSE PILOTS ON WATCH, TWO WEEKS ON BOARD AND TWO WEEKS OFF.

THE AVERAGEBRIDGE TIME WHEN I SAY BRIDGE TIME, THAT'S THE TIME FROM WHEN THE PILOT WILL PULL ALONGSIDE AND THE PILOT CLIMBS UP THE LADDER AND THEN HAS AN INTERFACE, A PILOT INTERFACE WITH THE CAPTAIN OF THE VESSEL.

THE AVERAGE TIME TO BRING THE VESSEL IN FROM THE SEA BUOY, TO THE HEART OF TAMPABAY IS FOUR AND A HALF HOURS.

THE CRUISE SHIPS TAKE THREE HOURS AND 45 MINUTES AND THE CONTAINER VESSELS TAKE ABOUT THE SAME TIME BUT BARGES COULD TAKE SEVEN HOURS COMING IN OR SOME THE SLOWER VESSELS COULD TAKE 6 OR 7 HOURS.

WE HAVE AN OFFICE DOWN OFF OF SELMON DRIVE, WE HAVE A DISEMBARKATION AND EMBARKATION AT FORT DESOTO, WHERE THE PILOTS CAN BOARD THE PILOT BOAT AND MEET THE PILOT VESSEL OR DISEMBARK WHEN HE'S TAKING THE VESSEL OUT TO SEE.

AND THEN WE HAVE OUR REST FACILITY AT EGMONT KEY THAT.

WE HAVE A COTTAGE AND SO FORTH THERE FOR THE PILOT TO REST BEFORE THE NEXT TRIPASWELLAS THAT'S WHERE WE HOUSE OUR THREE PILOT BOATS.

BECAUSE OF THE LOGISTICS AND HOW THIS AREA IS SPREAD OUT, AND BY SERVING THE THREE PORTS OF TAMPA, MANATEE AND St.PETERSBURG, WE NORMALLY HAVE TO HAVE AT LEAST TWO BOATS IN OPERATION AND WE HAVE ONE AS A BACKUP IN CASE WE HAVE PROBLEMS AT THAT POINT IN TIME.

WE ALSO DO NOT LIKE TO WAIT BECAUSE THEY GENERALLY ON A TIGHT SCHEDULE.

SO WE NEED TO BE EXTREMELY RESPONSIVE TO THAT REQUEST.

FROM THE PILOT STATION TO THE SEA BUOY.

FROM OUR STATION OUT TO THE SEA BUOY, IT'S 14MILES.

AS THE VIDEO SAYS, 365 DAYS A YEAR, 24 HOURS A DAY AND WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR GROUP, WE HAVE OVER 390 YEARS OF WHAT I CALL COLLECTIVE EXPERIENCE FOR OUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE BAY.

THIS IS THE AVERAGE TIME THAT A PILOT HAS SPENT IN TAMPABAY, MULTIPLIED BY THE NUMBER OF PILOTS WE HAVE.

WE GENERALLY SEE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 4,000 AND 5,000 TRANSITS OR HANDLES ANNUALLY WHICH IS 200 TO 225 ASSIGNMENTS.

THE 5,000 NUMBER WAS BETWEEN THE LAST SIX OR SEVEN YEARS, OR BEFORE THE ECONOMY TOOK A NOSE DIVE AND THAT NUMBER HAS LEVELED AROUND 4,410, AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S MOVING BACK TO 4200.

SO THAT'S ALSO A VERY GOOD SIGN.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE PILOTS ASSOCIATION, HOW THEY OPERATE IN TAMPABAY AND THE STATE OF FLORIDA, YOU ARE THE KEY INTERFACE BETWEEN SEVERAL MAJOR ENTITIES.

FIRST AND FOREMOST, YOU HAVE YOUR PORT AUTHORITIES, YOUR TERMINAL AND FACILITY OPERATORS, THESE INDIVIDUALS THAT CONTROL THE TERMINALS.

THE VESSEL OPERATORS AND FROM ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY THE COUNTRY, ALL AROUND THE WORLD, YOU HAVE YOUR REGULATORY AGENCY, INCLUDING CUSTOMS AND THE U.S. COAST GUARD, YOU HAVE YOUR SHIPPING AGENCIES.

THESE ARE THE ONES THAT PROVIDE GENERALLY THE LOGISTICS AND THE SUPPLIES AND COORDINATE THAT FOR THOSE WHO ARE ARRIVING AND DEPARTING AND THEN THE HARBOR SAFETY AND SECURITY COMMITTEES.

THESE ARE THE COMMITTEES WHICH HAVE TAKEN ON SIGNIFICANT IMPORTANCE AFTER 9/11, THAT LOOK AT VARIOUS SECURITY ISSUES AROUND TAMPABAY.

IF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE ALARMS THAT GO OFF, GENERALLY ONCE A MONTH AND SOMETIMES ON FRIDAY, TESTING THE AMMONIA ALARM, THAT'S PART OF THE HARBOR SAFETY AND SECURITY COMMUNITY OUTREACH TO THE COMMUNITY.

AND AS I SAID, THE CRITICAL LINK FROM THE REGULATORY, THE COAST GUARD CONTROLLED MOST OF THE WATERWAY, AND THE MARITIME COMMUNITY AND THE PILOTS HAVE THEIR CRITICAL PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COAST GUARD AND THE REGULATORY BODIES.

ONE THE THINGS THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AROUND THE STATE OF FLORIDA, OURS IS A REGULATED PROFESSION.

IT FALLS UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATIONS AND THEIR VIEW POINT IS THAT PILOTS ARE THERE FOR THE INDEPENDENT JUDGMENT, FOR THE SAFETY, FOR THE PORTS, THE PEOPLE, AND THE ENVIRONMENT.

AND SO THERE'S SOME VERY STRICT REGULATIONS FROM THE STANDPOINT OF TRAINING, LICENSING, AND TESTING THAT LEAVES OUT HOW THE PILOTS MIGHT CARRY OUT ON THEIR FUNCTION AND THEIR JOBS.

WHAT VESSELS ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE.

GENERALLY MOST VESSELS COMING IN FROM FOREIGN ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE A PILOT, IF THEY ARE DRAWING MORE THAN 7FEET OF WATER.

PUBLIC VESSELS, WHICH ARE VESSELS OF UNITED STATES, THE NAVY VESSELS, THE COAST GUARD VESSELS ARE NOT REQUIRED.

HERE IN TAMPABAY, I WILL SAY, 90 TO 95% WILL TAKE ONE OF OUR HARBOR PILOTS.

WE WILL LICENSED THE BY THE FEDERAL AND THE COAST GUARD.

ANY VESSEL MOVING BETWEEN A SHIPYARD.

IN THE VESSEL IS IN A SHIPYARD, IT MUST STAY IN THE SHIPYARD.

THEY CAN MOVE FROM ONE REPAIR PIER WITHOUT ANOTHER, AS LONG AS SHE DOES NOT GO OUT INTO THE SHIPPING WATERS.

AND THEN FEDERAL LICENSES ARE REQUIRED ON SOME FLAGGED VESSELS.

MOST FLAGS VESSELS ARE 1600 GROSS TONS AND PETROLEUM OVER 10,000 GROSS TONS.

THEY HAVE THE OPTION BUT THEY GENERALLY USE OUR SERVICE AS WELL.

WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT TAMPABAY, GENERALLY PEOPLE LOOK AT TAMPA BAYAS ONE UNIQUE BODY OF WATER.

WE LOOK AT IT A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY, BECAUSE THERE ARE NINE MAJOR PORT FACILITIES, PORT MANNY TEE, BIG BEND, EAST TAMPA, YOU HAVE EAST BAY AND THEN OLD PORT TAMPA, WHERE AT ONE POINT IN TIME, WHERE MOST OF THE FUEL USED TO COME INTO.

WE HAVE BAYBORO OVER INTO ST.PETE.

FROM THE TIP OF THE SEA BUOY, INTO THE HEART OF TAMPA IS A 43MILE TRANSIT.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT YOU FACE ON TAMPA BAYAS A PILOT?

AS, AGAIN,41 TO 43MILES OUT TO SEA.

THE PORT OF TAMPA IS FLORIDA'S NUMBER ONE LARGEST PORT AND MANNY TEE FLUCTUATES BETWEEN NUMBER FIVE AND NUMBER SIX.

TAMPA, AND PORT OF TAMPA FLUCTUATES FROM THE 10thTO THE 14thLARGEST PORT IN THE COUNTRY AND THAT'S BASED TONNAGE.

YOU HAVE NINE SEPARATE PORTS.

IF YOU TAKE THE OTHER 14 OR 13 OR 12 OR 11 DIFFERENT PORTS IN TAMPA, YOU COULD PUT THE WHOLE PILOTING ON A DOMAIN INTO OUR 90MILES AND STILL HAVE SOME WATERS LEFT OVER.

IF YOU LIVE IN TAMPABAY FOR ANY PERIOD OF TIME, YOU REALIZE THAT YOU ENCOUNTER VIOLENT SQUALLS AND THUNDERSTORMS AND THESE ITEMS CREATE EXTREME VISIBILITY ISSUES.

THE UNIQUE THING ABOUT TAMPA, THEY ARE NOT SERIOUS BAILOUT POINTS FOR VESSELS DRAWING DEEP DRAFT.

DEEP DRAFT IS A VESSEL GENERALLY IN OUR AREA OVER 27, 28, 29FEET OF WATER.

OUR PROJECT DEPTH FOR THE CHANNEL COMING INTO TAMPABAY IS 43FEET.

USUALLY IT TAKES PLACE ON THAT, AND THE STAY REQUIRES THE PILOTS TO DEFINE ANY KEEL CLEARANCE, HOW MUCH CLEARANCE THE VESSEL SHOULD HAVE UNDER THE KEEL OF THAT VESSEL.

WE GENERALLY TAKE OFF THE KEEL CLEARANCE.

SO WE GO DOWN TO 39FEET AND THEN WE GIVE THE SHIPPERS ROUGHLY 2FEET BACK FOR TIDE.

SO GENERALLY COMING INTO TAMPABAY, YOU CAN BRING A VESSEL IN WITH A DRAFT OF 39FEET PLUS TIDE, UP TO 41FEET.

THE OTHER SIGNIFICANT REQUIREMENT THAT PEOPLE TALK ABOUT A LOT IS THE SKYWAYSUNSHINEBRIDGE, AND THAT HAS AN AIR DRAFT CLEARANCE OF 180FEET.

IT WAS JUST RAISED WHEN I SAY RAISED, IT USED TO BE 175FEET, BUT THAT WAS MEASURED ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE BRIDGE, ACROSS THE LANE MASS AS WELL TO THE PIER THAT WAS NOT NAVIGATIONAL.

THE PORT AUTHORITY WENT BACK, AND WORKED WITH THE COAST GUARD AND SO NOW HERE'S A MEASURE FROM THE NAVIGATIONAL CHANNEL AND THAT CLEARANCE IS 180FEET.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR BRINGING A VESSEL INTO TAMPABAY?

YOU HAVE PROBABLY SEEN REPORTS WHERE MOST OF THE CRUISE SHIPS NOW BEING BUILT HAS AN AIR DRAFT GREATER THAN THAT PARTICULARBRIDGE.

THAT BRIDGE IS SOMEWHAT AN OBSTRUCTION TO THE VESSELS COMING IN.

IN NEW YORK RIGHT NOW, THEY ARE DOING A SIGNIFICANT STUDY AND GETTING READY TO RAISE THAT PARTICULARBRIDGE SO THEY INCREASED THE AIR DRAFT.

IF YOU TAKE THE DEPTH OF THE CHANNEL AND ADD THAT TO THE HEIGHT OF THE BRIDGE, YOU GENERALLY HAVE A CLEARANCE FROM THE KEEL TO MAST HEAD OF 220FEET.

SO THAT IS A MARK THAT WE USE FOR TRYING TO DETERMINE WHETHER A VESSEL CAN COME INTO THE SKYWAY OR NOT.

OTHER ISSUES THAT WE HAVE IS WE DON'T HAVE ANCHORAGE FOR THE DEEP DRAFT VESSELS.