An expansion of the Panama Canal won’t be complete for another roughly eight months, but Port Manatee officials say they are already prepared for an increase in major container vessels, and already experienced an 83-percent increase in container units shipped there last fiscal year. “We are always pursuing expansion plans with the commodity owners for what goods ship in those containers,” said Carlos Buqueras, Port Manatee executive director.

The boost at the port comes largely with the arrival of weekly service through World Direct Shipping, which has been shipping since November last year between Port Manatee and the Port of Coatzacoalcos in southern Mexico. Thanks to expansive dredging of the berths at the Palmetto-based port, larger vessels can already use the port to ship large goods. The improvements have attracted international companies like AirProducts to locate major facilities near the port, and once more shipping lanes connect the port with parts of Asia and South America, that interest will only boost, Buqueras predicted.

Meanwhile, officials here are making sure companies along Florida’s Gulf Coast know the port is ready for business.

“We are also the only port for Collier, Lee, Charlotte and Sarasota counties,” Buqueras said, “which over the next 20 years are going to grow dramatically. We want to make sure businesses are well aware of that.”