Trade official pegs Port Manatee, Fla. as ideal gateway for Ecuadorian imports

Port Manatee

Port Manatee would serve as an ideal gateway for more Ecuadorian imports to reach Florida markets that are home to 10 million consumers and host 100 million visitors each year, a top trade commissioner from Ecuador said on Tuesday.

During a presentation to the Manatee County Port Authority’s monthly meeting, Manuel Echeverria Castro, Ecuador’s trade commissioner for the southern United States, highlighted the strategic and logistical significance of the deepwater port at the entrance of Tampa Bay.

“Opportunities are really growing for reaching Central and Southwest Florida by way of Port Manatee,” Echeverria Castro said. “We are looking to increase awareness that ports on the Gulf of Mexico, such as Port Manatee, offer great opportunity, in addition to traditional South Florida getaways.”

Ecuador sends approximately 30 percent of its non-oil exports to the United States, and approximately 40 percent of the cargo enters the county through South Florida ports. However, heavily populated markets in central and southwest Florida are within a two-hour drive of Port Manatee.

Ecuadorian shipments of bananas and fertilizer have already been received at Port Manatee. Echeverria Castro identified mangos, shrimp, cocoa beans, chocolate and Panama hats as examples of new potential Ecuadorian imports.

Carlos Buqueras, the executive director of Port Manatee, voiced appreciation for Ecuadorian trade officials’ interest, adding, “We look forward to working together to advance mutually beneficial commercial ties.”

Trade representatives from other Latin American countries — including Chile, Colombia, Guatemala, Costa Rica, El Salvador and the Dominican Republic — have also expressed interest in Port Manatee.

“Growing trade with Ecuador and other Latin American countries seeking ready access to central and southwest Florida markets bodes to significantly enhance Port Manatee’s already impressive position as a critical economic engine for our region,” Vanessa Baugh, the chairwoman of the Manatee County Port Authority, said.