Mexico has consistently been one of the largest trading partners with the US. The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has bolstered this relationship by its detailed market access rules. NAFTA also helped reduce or eliminate many barriers to trade between the two making the traffic in goods more equitable.
According to one estimate in 2014, the top 5 imports by the US from Mexico were vehicles ($ 68.3 billion), electronic equipment ($ 58.4 billion), machines, engines and pumps ($ 45.2 billion), Oil ($ 30.7 billion)and Medical and Technical Equipment ($ 11.6 billion). Other major items included furniture, lighting and signs, gems, precious metals and coins, vegetables, fruits and nuts and plastics.
Top 5 exports from the US to Mexico include machines, engines and pumps ($ 43.1 billion), electronic equipment ($ 38.4 billion), Oil ($ 23.7 billion), vehicles ($ 21.3 billion) and plastics ($ 16.4 billion). The lesser items were organic chemicals, medical and technical equipment, iron and steel products and paper.
As with most international trade, sea ports handle the bulk of goods volume between these two countries despite the presence of a long land border. Border crossings have become heavily congested of late and rail freight networks are not as efficient as shipping for large cargoes.
The Mexican port of Ensenada acts as a marine freight and cruise travel terminal in the state of Baja California. Being a deepwater port, large and heavily loaded ships can ply and transfer goods here comfortably and conveniently. It is the second busiest port in Mexico with goods transacted between North and South America as well as Asia.
The Port Authority of Ensenada provides the full range of services including docking, port operations, springing, rent of equipment, storage, weighing, consolidation or deconsolidation and arranging consoles for refrigerated containers. Private parties also offer provisioning, fumigation, technical inspection, launch, maintenance and repair, garbage collection, fuel etc.
Many importers choose to employ a customs agent in Ensenada for the convenience and efficiency they bring to their business. Customs brokers obtain their licenses from the US Customs and Border Protection agency. They undertake the importer’s paperwork and acquisition of CBP bonds for the trade.
It is the responsibility of the importer to ensure compliance with federal rules and regulations and following CBP protocol but by contracting with a customs agent you can safely navigate through these waters by avoiding costly mistakes.
Courier services themselves use the services of professional customs agents to clear goods on your behalf.
Mexican authorities are particularly strict about documentation and procedure and if you are exporting goods into Mexico, once again the duty lies with the business creating the exports. Common mistakes include incomplete or improper information and the absence of detailed descriptions of the shipment. NAFTA qualifications, if applicable to your product need a NAFTA certificate of origin.
Obtaining permits and making payments to Mexican authorities can best be done by a Mexican Customs broker. If you are about to engage in either export or import of your goods through Ensenada entrust the task to a party who works on both sides of the border to minimize risks to your investment.
Summary: Trade between the USA and Mexico was worth over $ 4.89 billion in 2015 according to a US Census Bureau report. Out of these, exports totalled about $ 218 billion and imports about $ 272 billion.
