Seaport defined the impacts on trans-border shipping of US and Mexican post-September 11, 2001 border security processes on the transportation costs of agricultural goods moving across the border in both directions.

Seaport analyzed security related delays for both road and rail transport at various principal border crossings, including

·         Otay Mesa

·         Calexico

·         Nogales

·         El Paso

·         Eagle Pass

·         Laredo

·         Brownsville

The study identified various sources of border area delay:

·         Delays in documentation preparation and approval

·         Congestion on border area highways, access roads, and rail systems

·         Delay due to requiring specially licensed trucking operators to move trailers between designated terminals through a 25 mile border zone

·        Queuing and other congestion at customs and agricultural inspection facilities

·         Delays due to security inspections

Between 2000 and 2005, truck traffic stood between 4.2 and 4.5 million crossings per annum, volumes that often produced lengthy queuing at the border.  In the vicinity of each truck crossing, Seaport evaluated regional highways, local access roads, and planned infrastructure improvements and their likely effects on border crossing times and truck costs.  The study also examined likely changes in the ways in the ways in which trucked products move, for example possible decreases in less than truckload movements as well as regulatory changes permitting direct and uninterrupted movement of trailers across the border.  Seaport also examined delays at agricultural and other highway inspection stations throughout northern and central Mexico were also evaluated. 

Rail crossings were studied in the context of significant traffic growth during the same period, in which volumes increased from about 572,000 to 729,000 rail cars per annum.  Of primary importance were congestion at major rail centers within the US and delays in transiting urban areas within Mexico.  Several planned rail infrastructure projects in particular yard improvements and grade separations in several Mexican border cities were examined to determine likely effects on rail transit times.  Congestion at rail border examination points purely due to customs and agricultural inspections was found to be relatively minor. 

Seaport’s conclusion was that delays and increased costs purely due to security were slight.  Agricultural shippers, carriers and brokers had adapted well to post September 11, 2001 security enhancements in both the US and Mexico.  Much more important to border delays were infrastructure constraints at border crossings and their approaches and a lack of highway capacity and rail grade separations within Mexico, especially in urban centers.  Despite the overall delays, the chances of modal diversion away from overland transportation in favor of short-sea shipping were generally slight.