The concept for PORTS was born following two serious maritime accidents in Tampa Bay, Florida. In May 1980, gale-force winds blew the freighter Summit Venture out of the Port of Tampa shipping channel. The ship struck the Sunshine Skyway Bridge sending a 1,200-foot span into the bay, along with six cars, a truck, and a Greyhound bus, killing 35 people. Earlier that same year, the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Blackthorn collided with an oil tanker in the shipping channel, causing 23 deaths.
It was evident that something needed to be done to improve the safe movement of vessels in Tampa Bay. So a joint venture with NOAA, the University of South Florida, and the greater Tampa Bay Marine Advisory Council created PORTS which brings real-time environmental observations, forecasts and other geospatial information to mariners when they need it the most.
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