The Port of Manatee is the closest of the three Tampa Bay deepwater ports to the Gulf of Mexico. It is one of the state's busiest, ranking fifth among Florida's 14 seaports in total annual cargo tonnage. More than 5 million tons move through the port annually. The port ranks among the top 35 U.S. containerized cargo ports. The entire port district is a Free Trade Zone, which offers 250,000 square feet of warehouse storage and over 200 acres of open storage.
Plans are underway for new cold storage facilities.
Several major motor freight carriers and CSX rail services link the port with all U.S. markets. Although the smallest of the three Tampa Bay ports, the Port of St. Petersburg possesses unique attributes that dictate a special approach to maximize port utilization and revenue-generation capabilities. The city manages and provide the facilities for private entities to carry out shipping activities, A major tenant is the U.S. Coast Guard. Nearly half of all U.S. freight destinations are within a day's drive of St. Petersburg . RAIL CSX provides convenient rail service in St. Petersburg.