US-based breakbulk and heavylift operator [ds_preview]Intermarine strenghtens its positions in the important segment port Houston with a new Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ).
The carrier has obtained activation for Industrial Terminals as a Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) under Foreign Trade Zone Board (FTZB) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regulations, it says.
With a fleet of over 30 operated vessels, the 1990 founded carrier operates the largest U.S. flag heavylift fleet. Industrial Terminals in Houston is said to be the busiest project cargo terminal in the United States.
According to the statement, the entirety of Industrial Terminals‘ 92 acres has been approved for FTZ activity, of which part is already active and ready to receive cargo. The area functions as Intermarine‘s primary load and staging center for cargo and projects.
FTZ‘s are secure areas under CPB supervision that are generally considered outside CBP territory upon activation. Located in or near CBP ports of entry, they are the United States‘ version of what are known internationally as free-trade zones. Foreign and domestic merchandise may be moved into zones for operations, not otherwise prohibited by law, including: storage, exhibition, assembly, manufacturing, and processing.
Free-trade is a topic which is widely discussed in these days, after the new president of the USA, Donald Trump, and his politics could potentially lead to a reduction the country‘s free-trade engagement.
»Achieving FTZ activation increases Intermarine‘s versatility and provides our customers with the additional flexibility to use the foreign status of Industrial Terminals (FTZ 42) for importing and exporting goods in international trade,« said Wojtek Rutkowski, Vice President Industrial Terminals.
