JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- (AP) -- A vessel carrying
                                      humanitarian donations left for Havana, making it the first
                                      cargo ship to head to Cuba from the United States since the
                                      U.S. trade embargo against the island nation began four
                                      decades ago.

                                      Officials for Crowley Liner Services, which operates the ship,
                                      said no commercial food or medical supplies were aboard.
                                      The vessel, which left Thursday, is expected to arrive in
                                      Havana on Saturday.

                                      Mark Miller, a Crowley spokesman, declined to give details
                                      of the cargo. His company was the first shipping line to get
                                      permission from the U.S. government to send humanitarian
                                      donations, commercial food and medical supplies to Cuba
                                      after the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement
                                      Act was passed by Congress last year.

                                      Under the law, medical aid and commercial food can be sent
                                      to Cuba. However, U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, who is
                                      against U.S. trade with the communist country, said
                                      Thursday's shipment was ``much ado about nothing''
                                      because legislators opposed to easing the embargo were
                                      able to prohibit any trade financing from U.S. sources.

                                      Cuba has refused to buy U.S. products, a stance some
                                      congessional leaders are trying to change. U.S. Rep. Jo Ann
                                      Emerson, who was part of a group of rice growers and
                                      legislators who visited the island last week, said she hopes
                                      Cuba will buy American rice in the future.

                                      ``I don't think any of us expected that we would be
                                      successful in selling rice while we were there,'' she said.
                                      ``These things take time.''