Posted on 11/16/2005 4:53:04 PM PST by DumpsterDiver
KANSAS CITY, MO. -- Shipping U-S vehicles and electronics to Mexico may become much cheaper and faster next year. That's when the first Mexican customs facility in the U-S is expected to open in the Midwest.
It's nearly one-thousand miles to the border from Kansas City. But the area will soon start building an inland port to whisk thousands of trucks through export inspections and back onto the North American Free Trade Agreement corridor.
The three (M) million dollar facility is expected to be approved by the U-S and Mexican governments by year's end.
Chris Gutierrez with nonprofit Kansas City SmartPort says the complex is scheduled to open next May.
Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Robert Bonner has said the pilot proposal is "bold and imaginative" and could transform Kansas City into a major new trade link.
The Mexican government is committed to the project. One stumbling block, however, is that by Mexican law brokers must be part of the operations. Most Mexican broker facilities are on the U.S. (Laredo, Texas) side of the border. They are legal entities on the Mexican side, but are performing most of their work on the U.S. side. There is still a need for drayage, since many U.S. carriers don't use their trucks into Mexico, just trailers. The Mexican brokers must take possession of the freight in order to have it move. Smart-Port is very aware of the need and has been proactive in meeting with the Nuevo Laredo Customs Brokers Association, among others.
http://www.logisticstoday.com/sNO/6656/iID/20895/LT/displayStory.asp
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