Prince Rupert Chosen as Site of New Border Pilot Project

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Canadian Association of Importers and Exporters Dec 19, 2011

The Federal government has selected the Port of Prince Rupert  and Montreal as the two locations to implement "Beyond the Border" a partnership between the Canadian and American governments aimed at reducing trade barriers while bolstering security. The announcement which was made last week is expected to streamline cargo screening and reduce red tape for companies shipping goods to their target markets. "That all translates to more cargo, more throughput, more activity and therefore into more jobs." Says PRPA's President and CEO Don Krusel.

Fairview terminals was one of the first container terminals built after 9/11 so security was built in to the facility, it's believed that's part of the reason it was chosen as a pilot port for the project.  According to Krusel the bilateral trade partnership will further enhance its reputation and result in an expedited free-flow of goods. "It will reinforce that positioning that we have, it will fine-tune it and improve upon it. I think the fact that we already have are a leader in this type of activity is the reason why were selected as the pilot port. We can basically blaze the trail for Canada to enhance greater trade to North America."

Krusel calls the initiative an all around benefit to the community and a win for trade in general. Currently a manifest or information on a vessel is sent to a Canadian destination port in advance but with this partnership that electronic information will be sent to both American and Canadian customs agencies. Subsequently containers will be cleared once in Canada and once in the USA but only screened once upon arrival onto Canadian soil.

"There will no longer be any potential for slowdown for those goods to their final destination because the screening will have already taken place here at the port and that will ensure even greater efficiency, even greater speed with which those  goods will find their way to the e final destination and it will improve  the reputation first and foremost of Prince Rupert and secondly of Canada."

The initiative will not be implemented over night however. The Canada Border Services Agency and U.S. Customs are expected to work closely together over the next year to harmonize some of the policies to ease congestion and while coordinating security. The program's launch is scheduled for 2013.

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