SeaPort Manatee, which marked its 50th anniversary in 2020, has been quietly setting one record after another for cargo handled. In fiscal 2022, SeaPort Manatee handled 177,108 cargo containers, nearly as many as Port Tampa Bay, which handled 178,637. SeaPort Manatee has been steadily closing that gap since 2012, when Carlos Buqueras was named president and CE0.
As recently as fiscal 2019, Port Tampa Bay handled 105,663 cargo containers, while SeaPort Manatee handled 57,255. Pineapples, bananas and avocados That bunch of bananas, the pineapples and Hass avocados that can be found in many Bradenton area kitchens very likely arrived through SeaPort Manatee.
Del Monte Fresh Produce Company set up shop at SeaPort Manatee in 1988. Del Monte imports, primarily from Costa Rica, make their way onto grocery shelves around the Southeast and as far as Canada. On average, Del Monte receives 300 container shipments a week with each container delivering 20 pallets of fruit, roughly 56 to 72 boxes. About 55% of the fruit imported by Del Monte is bananas and about 45% is pineapples. From time to time, Del Monte also ships plantains, avocados and water melons.
Source: bradenton.com