Eagle Pass Port of Entry Celebrates Unified Cargo Processing of Railroad Cars
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2021
The Eagle Pass Port of Entry celebrated a major milestone on Tuesday, March 16, 2021, as United States and Mexico authorities held the grand opening of Unified Cargo Processing of Railroad Cars at the Union Pacific International Railroad Bridge in Eagle Pass, Texas, enabling joint inspection of railroad cars by U.S. and Mexican Customs inspectors at the Eagle Pass Port of Entry and facilitating the potential doubling of railroad traffic through Eagle Pass, Texas and Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico.
Eagle Pass Port of Entry U.S. Customs and Border Protection Port Director Paul Del Rincon welcomed a delegation of U.S. and Mexican authorities to the ribbon cutting ceremony held on March 16, including State of Coahuila Governor Miguel Angel Riquelme Solis, CBP Deputy Director of Operations Laredo Field Office Albert Flores, Piedras Negras, Coahuila Mexican Customs Director (SAT) Juan Carlos Madero Larios, Piedras Negras, Coahuila Mayor Claudio Garza Bres, Eagle Pass Mayor Luis E. Sifuentes, and other dignitaries.
Del Rincon stated that “unified cargo processing will include both CBP and Mexican Customs officials working together to inspect the train. It is one inspection of that train that will result in a very efficient process and a reduction of inspection of about 50 percent. This means because of these efforts, we will now be able to process more trains through here. That translates into more opportunities for the Eagle Pass, Texas Port of Entry and for the two cities of Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras. This is a very, very important process. This is something that we have been working on for the last three years now and it finally came to fruition. What started off as a dream is now a reality. I am very proud of that. It has to do with the outstanding work that all the men and women of the Port of Eagle Pass do here for Customs and Border Protection.”
Piedras Negras, Coahuila Mexican Customs (SAT) Director Juan Carlos Madero Larios stated the new Unified Cargo Processing Program at the Piedras Negras and Eagle Pass Port of Entry will assist Customs inspectors to detect Customs fraud and the illicit contraband of drugs, arms, and merchandise. Madero Larios added Unified Cargo Processing will significantly benefit both countries, Mexico and U.S.
State of Coahuila, Mexico Governor Miguel Angel Riquelme Solis stated the new Unified Cargo Processing is an important accomplishment for the Piedras Negras and Eagle Pass Port of Entry as well as the State of Coahuila. Governor Riquelme Solis noted that Unified Cargo Processing will enhance the promotion of international trade between Mexico and the United States. He added Unified Cargo Processing will benefit Mexico’s development of the Mexican Northern Economic Corridor from the Port of Mazatlan to the U.S.-Mexico border through Piedras Negras and Ciudad Acuna, Mexico and commended everyone who worked on this new program.
Piedras Negras, Coahuila Mayor Claudio Bres Garza stated he is honored to witness the historic grand opening of Unified Cargo Processing at the Piedras Negras and Eagle Pass Port of Entry. Mayor Bres Garza added that Unified Cargo Processing will enable the Piedras Negras and Eagle Pass Port of Entry to become the largest international port of railroad cargo between Mexico and the United States.
Eagle Pass Mayor Luis E. Sifuentes stated “Unified Cargo Processing is a great showing of what happens when you work together. Whenever everybody is working together, U.S. Customs and Mexican Customs and the communities, we are two communities and two different countries working together as one community.” Mayor Sifuentes added that Unified Cargo Processing will make it more efficient to inspect railroad cargo and elevate Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras from being No. 2 in railroad traffic at the U.S.-Mexico border to No. 1. Sifuentes noted Unified Cargo Processing will create greater international trade opportunities for the communities of Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras as well as between the states of Coahuila and Texas. Sifuentes concluded that “Working together we are stronger.”
Also attending the grand opening ceremony were representatives of Union Pacific and Ferromex railroad companies as well as business and civic leaders from Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras.
The international railroad bridge at the Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras Port of Entry is privately-owned by Union Pacific Railroad.
The Unified Cargo Processing Program will be done at the Eagle Pass Port of Entry CBP Railroad Inspection Center by both U.S. and Mexican Customs inspectors.
The net effect of the Unified Cargo Processing Program is an efficient inspection of export and import railroad cars by both U.S. and Mexican Customs inspectors, reducing by 50 percent the time to inspect the inbound and outbound trains and increasing the potential to handle twice as many railroad cars as before.
Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras residents will see railroad traffic increase through their communities as a result of this new Unified Cargo Processing Program.
