TAMPA BAY, Fla., June 12 /PRNewswire/ -- News briefs concerning theeconomic and business growth in the Tampa Bay Region from the Tampa BayPartnership:

New Cargo Service To Connect Tampa Bay With Mexico, South America

In late July, Peruvian Amazon Line plans to add cargo service every 60days between the Port of Tampa and Houston; Tampico, Mexico; Cartagena andLiticia, Colombia; Manaos, Brazil; and Iquitos, Peru. Headquartered in Lima,Peruvian Amazon Line has operated regular liner service between the UnitedStates, Mexico, Colombia, Brazil and Peru for 38 years, focusing on servingports along the Amazon River. While the service sails every 60 days, PeruvianAmazon Line has plans to increase the service frequency to monthly. (JohnThorington, 813 905 5120, jtt@tampaport.com)

Renewable-Energy Project Launched in Tampa Bay

Florida Governor Charlie Crist and Jeff Lyash, president and chiefexecutive officer of Progress Energy Florida, unveiled plans for SustainableElectrical Energy Delivery Systems (SEEDS), an innovative renewable energytechnology that will be evaluated at two sites in St. Petersburg. The siteswill serve as research hubs for unique technology that could be used as energystorage for future 'Smart Grid' power systems. The SEEDS project combinesphotovoltaic panels and an advanced battery system to supply renewable energyduring periods of peak power demand. SEEDS is a renewable energy initiativemade possible through a public-private partnership with the University ofSouth Florida, the City of St. Petersburg, Progress Energy Florida and theFlorida High-Tech Corridor. For more information, visithttp://pcue.eng.usf.edu .