Port San Antonio News
March 8, 2007
Official: Port should expand trade routes; New toll road, cargo terminal will help efforts
By Fanny S. Chirinos Caller-Times

The Port of Corpus Christi is playing catch-up to the explosion in global trade coming from Asia and South America through Mexico, a port official said. But, business is booming and there's plenty of it to be had.

Port Chairman Ruben Bonilla and port staff sat in on a presentation Wednesday at the Town Club by Jorge Canavati, Port of San Antonio's vice president of business development. Speaking to local members of the World Affairs Council, a nonprofit group that promotes understanding of international issues, Canavati discussed San Antonio's efforts to secure business from Asian and South American companies transporting American-bound products through ports and rail in Mexico rather than though the Port of Long Beach, Calif.

Shipping through Mexico shortens the trip for products to reach their destination from four to seven days and is a bit cheaper, Canavati said. Going through the Port of Lazaro Cardenas and shipping by Kansas City Southern of Mexico rail to San Antonio saves about five days compared with unloading in the congested Long Beach port and shipping via trucks to San Antonio, he said.

KCS de Mexico owns more than 2,600 miles of rail in Mexico with direct service from the Mexican border to Lazaro Cardenas.

Bonilla said that although the presentation focused on San Antonio, it served to show trade opportunities available to the Corpus Christi port and its chances to expand its trade routes in Mexico. Much of the opportunity would depend on projects that haven't been built - a port container cargo terminal in San Patricio County, a truck and rail conduit in Robstown and a trucks-only high-speed toll road from Laredo.

"Trade is hemorrhaging and new trade routes are being established every day," Bonilla said. "Historically, these routes have been fixed and unbending. The link between these routes and us will be the La Quinta (Container) Terminal. We're playing catch-up with facilitator links such as the Robstown Intermodal Facility and the Port-to-Port Corridor from Laredo. But, even competition, as with the Port of San Antonio, will serve to benefit us."

Completion of La Quinta should happen by 2010, port officials have said. The terminal would serve to alleviate congestion at the Port of Houston.

The 140-mile corridor from Laredo would increase traffic to the proposed Robstown facility and La Quinta before departing to northern and eastern states.

Canavati said several Mexican distribution companies have expressed interest in shipping to South Texas, including Guadalajara-based World Trade Center Confianza, which has inquired as to business opportunities with the Port of Corpus Christi. He urged that the port take strides to aggressively promote the port.
"The Port of Corpus Christi must capitalize on its cold-storage facility by reintroducing it to refrigerated trucking companies like it did five years ago," Canavati said. "Now is the time. This is a very strategic location. The port is at the forefront of these new opportunities, but the world doesn't know about it."

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