Container volumes soar at Port Manatee

The Florida Gulf Coast port handed 25,778 TEUs for the fiscal year ended Sept. 30, an increase of 83 percent from the preceding 12-month period.    Port Manatee handed 25,778 TEUs for the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, an increase of 83 percent from the preceding 12-month period.
   The port handled 15,565 TEUs of containerized imports and 10,213 TEUs of containerized exports for the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, year-over-year increases of 65 percent and 119 percent, respectively.
   The port primarily attributed the gain to World Direct Shipping’s weekly service between Port Manatee and the Mexican Port of Coatzacoalcos, which began in Nov. 2014. “The service is seeing consistently growing volumes of inbound refrigerated produce, as well as outbound dry cargos,” Port Manatee said.
   In addition, Fresh Del Monte Produce has continued to bring a steady stream of containers filled with chilled produce into the port, while increasing dry cargo exports, the port said.
   Situated in the eastern Gulf of Mexico at the entrance of Tampa Bay, Port Manatee serves bulk, breakbulk, container, heavylift, project and general cargo customers.