Business announces deal to move cargo through port

PALMETTO - HRK Holdings announced Thursday that it has reached an agreement with Gulf Coast Bulk Equipment to move cargo through Port Manatee.

The two have signed a long-term agreement, a press release said, to store and ship by rail and truck various bulk commodities delivered through the port. New outdoor storage pads have been built on HRK's Eastport property.

The first ship arrived at Port Manatee on Aug. 9, the release said, with more than 40,000 tons of product that was off-loaded by Liberty Terminals to the HRK storage site.

The project is expected to generate business for many companies, including Port Manatee and the CSX railroad.

HRK Holdings LLC is a Florida-based holding company with about 700 acres of heavy-industrial zoned property near Port Manatee.

Gulf Coast Bulk Equipment is a Florida corporation which owns and leases specialized equipment for discharging various bulk commodities.