The Port of the Future is Here NOW in Nogales, AZ

Greater Nogales Santa Cruz County Port Authority Spearheads Mariposa Port’s $244 M Expansion

Nogales, Arizona (PRWEB) May 28, 2014

The Port of the Future is here NOW in Nogales. The $244M expansion and modernization of the Mariposa Land Port of Entry is nearing 100% completion. The physical improvements at the Mariposa Port are state-of-the-art and have made this the most modern and efficient port of entry on the U.S. Mexico border. The formal, ceremonial opening of the completed port will be later this year, but the expanded facility is already yielding significant benefits.

Tireless efforts of the Greater Nogales Santa Cruz County Port Authority (GNSCCPA) in partnership with its member organizations has brought this amazing asset to fruition in the Ambos/Nogales region. The new port will combine with other assets such as Foreign Trade Zone No. 60, whose Grantee is the Nogales Santa Cruz County Economic Development Foundation (NSCCEDF), to provide critical support for the growth of bi-national trade through Nogales. Everything in the port is designed to increase the speed and accuracy of processing and to minimize delays at this, the fourth-busiest land port of entry into the United States. The Mariposa Port will have the shortest wait times on the U.S.-Mexico border. Instead of the seven-hour wait times of past years, Mariposa wait times have dropped to around one hour.

The new and improved Mariposa Port will also have additional staff. Of the 2,000 new Customs officers authorized nationwide in the most recent federal budget, 170 of those officers have been allotted to Arizona with 120 of those officers destined for Nogales.

State-of the art infrastructure and more personnel mean cost savings and decreased expenses. Efficiencies in moving trucks across the border result in savings in fuel, product quality and time. Nogales is the best location for just-in-time delivery for Mexico’s West Coast supply chain. Nogales is the only place where the U.S. I-10/ I-19 corridor meets the ever-growing commerce on Mexico’s highway 15.

The improved Mariposa Port is just the latest improvement in Ambos Nogales' generations - long tradition of world-class expert service. The Mariposa Port will play a pivotal role in North Americas’ newest north-south trade corridor connecting Mexico through Arizona to the Pacific Northwest and Canada.

Sustainability is a hallmark of the expanded facility. The Mariposa Port of the Future is “Green” and designed to be friendly to both the environment and the people who use it. The port’s structure is LEED certified and incorporates features such as a solar domestic hot water system, rain water harvesting system, advanced lighting and building automation systems, as well as recycled content materials selections and low maintenance finishes.

Nogales “gets it right” when it comes to international trade. The Greater Nogales Santa Cruz County Port Authority supports Nogales in championing trade between Mexico, the U.S. and Canada. The Port of the Future is delivering the future NOW.

About The Greater Nogales Santa Cruz County Port Authority:
Founded in December 2004, the Greater Nogales Santa Cruz County Port Authority brings key stakeholders from Ambos Nogales together to address issues that impact Nogales’ ports of entry. Working with local, state, federal and international partners, the Port Authority strives to improve Arizona’s largest port facilities, streamline the crossing process at the Nogales ports of entry, and enhance economic development in the Nogales-Santa Cruz County region.

The Port of the Future includes:

·  Eight commercial primary lanes with a capacity of 4,000+ trucks per day

·  CTPAT-FAST dedicated lanes

·  56 commercial inspection dock spaces

·  Five commercial exit booths

·  12 dedicated car lanes with primary inspection booths

·  24 POV secondary inspection spaces

·  Five southbound inspection booths

·  Six southbound inspection dock spaces

·  Dedicated bus processing lane

·  Two new z-portal low energy x-ray machines

·  SENTRI ready lanes to process passenger vehicles

For more information, please visithttp://nogalesport.org/or contact:

About The Nogales Santa Cruz County Economic Development Foundation:
The Nogales Santa Cruz County Economic Development Foundation (EDF) works to strengthen trade and economic development in the Ambos/Nogales region The EDF assists firms operating in or interested in operating in Santa Cruz County and serves as a conduit for disseminating bi-national information of interest to business.