Port Manatee said fuel operations are undergoing significant expansion, with additional capacity and a long-term contract extension expected to further increase liquid bulk cargo volumes at the port while supporting growth of RaceTrac Petroleum Inc.’s fueling station presence in Florida.

A Port Manatee trade executive has returned from ceremonies marking the expansion of the Panama Canal, saying he is optimistic that the expansion will reap big benefits for the port.

When the Panama Canal reopens its wider, deeper locks and channel on June 26, Port Manatee officials will be looking to turn that greater capacity into more cargo traffic.