The 620-foot-long M/V King Fraser docked at Port Manatee Nov. 19, 2012 to discharge more than 52,000 tons of Brazilian-produced corn, imported to offset drought-stricken U.S. production shortfalls.

The corn will be used for animal feed.

“We are looking forward to a busy working relationship with Port Manatee as we plan to bring in approximately 10,000 truck-load equivalents of corn through the port,” commented Cliff Arfman, vice president southeast at Interstate Commodities, Inc.

The shipment through Port Manatee is Interstate Commodities’ first of at least four to meet U.S. demand.

“We plan to provide the Florida feed industry a consistent source of grains free of drought-related toxins and we also have the capability to load rail shipments from Port Manatee throughout the U.S. via CSX Transportation.”

In its Nov. 9 World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimate report, the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated the drought is impacting approximately 75-percent of U.S. corn production and will continue into 2013.

Stevedoring company Logistec USA, Inc. is handling the cargo discharge and terminal management at Port Manatee and A.R. Savage & Son is the shipping agent.