Pasha Group Takes First Step toward Setting up at Port Manatee

PALMETTO -- The Pasha Group is looking for a port to locate another division of their diversified global logistics and transportation services company, and it looks like they might have found it. Port Manatee officials are hopeful after agreeing on a memorandum of understanding at Thursday's port authority meeting. 

Pasha Automotive Services has been servicing customers since 1947, providing revolutionary solutions and unmatched experience in the auto transportation industry. They now want to partner with a port in Florida to enhance their oceanic positioning -- preferably closer to the increasing number of automobiles manufactured in  Mexico.

"Port Manatee offers a strategic Gulf Coast location for ocean access, facilities and distribution for both import and export automobiles," said John Pasha, Senior VP for the California-based cmpany.

The plan is to partner with the port to develop a vehicle processing facility on what will start out as 30 acres -- expandable to 100 acres -- if the MOU signed by both Pasha and the board on Thursday becomes a deal.

Port Manatee’s executive director Carlos Buqueras said, “Port Manatee will be able to get autos and other cargos from Mexico to the Florida market faster and more cost effectively than other Florida port ... In addition, we anticipate more export opportunities into Latin America.”

Buqueras has been successful at increasing cargo traffic between the port and Latin America, recently signing a new partnership between Port Manatee and Rio de Janeiro's port, establishing them both as "International Sister Seaports." 

The Pasha Group, which is comprised of 35 companies, has port operations in Los Angeles, San Diego, Baltimore and Gray Harbor, Washington. Like the others, Port Manatee is a deepwater seaport. It's also a four-hour shorter trip to and from the Gulf, then is Port of Tampa. 

Pasha said he likes that Port Manatee has a strategic location that offers direct berth discharge, 174,000 sq ft of processing space, the 45 to 100 acres his company is looking for and rail connectivity throughout North America.