Within a foreign trade zone, like the Port of Boston’s FTZ #27, foreign goods are considered to be international commerce and are not subject to U.S. Customs duties unless, or until, entered into the United States. In addition, raw materials, parts, and components can be admitted duty-free into an FTZ.
Goods can then be assembled, manufactured, or processed – and the final product re-exported – without paying U.S. Customs duties. Some of the activities a foreign trade zone allows you are:
- bringing in a product incrementally, thereby preserving cash flow and gaining interest savings;
- weekly merchandise processing fee
- storing and re-packing merchandise for export or domestic distribution;
- manufacturing a product from foreign and/or domestic parts.
Massport’s general purpose FTZ # 27 consists of 129 acres conveniently located at various sites around Boston Harbor, easily accessible by highways I-93 and I-95, as well as the Massachusetts Turnpike and the Ted Williams and Sumner Tunnels. Because of its proximity to Logan International Airport and the public terminals in the Port of Boston, FTZ # 27 serves importers to the New England region and wider domestic markets as well as exporters to markets worldwide.
East Boston
There are three sites comprising 39 acres in and around Logan International Airport that cover assorted fuel farm facilities. Bosfuel, the FTZ operator of the East Boston/Logan Airport site, can be contacted through William J. Phelan, c/o Charter Brokerage Corp., at (203) 840-7500.
12 Channel Street, South Boston
Just over two acres, it includes a nine-story building with 315,000 square feet located within the Boston Marine Industrial Park.
Boston Freight Terminals, 1 Harbor Street, Boston
This 5-acre site within the International Cargo Center of New England consists of 150,000 square feet of warehouse space and approximately 2 acres of container yard. Boston Freight Terminals also operates a U.S. Customs bonded Container Freight Station, a U.S. Customs Central Examination Station, and a U.S. Customs General Order (G.O.) warehouse. U.S. Customs service staff members are stationed full-time at Boston Freight Terminals. The facility is strategically located within 1 mile of both Logan International Airport and Conley Marine Terminal, and within 2 miles of the Interstate highway system. Contact Neil Fitzpatrick, Tel. (617)912-4610.
Charlestown (Boston)
This site is the 62-acre Boston Autoport at Moran Terminal and Mystic Pier, a dedicated vehicle import/export processing terminal. It includes 250,000 square feet of indoor storage space and good highway connections.
International Cargo Port
Approximately 9 acres within Boston’s Marine Industrial Park, this is Boston’s largest waterfront intermodal transportation facility. It offers approximately 400,000 square feet of warehouse and related office space and use of the adjacent dock. Contact Maureen Ayers at (617) 439-8989.
Coastal, Inc., Mansfield
This 10-acre FTZ site within Coastal’s facility includes 9 acres of secured container yard and 1 acre (44,000 square feet) of warehouse space. Coastal also operates a Container Freight Station, and is designated a U.S. Customs Central Examination Station. The Coastal container yard offers 24-hour security while operating 7 days per week, 365 days a year, and is strategically located at the intersection of Interstate highways Route 495 and Route 95 in Mansfield, Mass. Contact Charles Canali at (508) 339-3393, ext. 200.
The Port of Boston can help you import and export cargo quickly and efficiently to your markets, whether in the U.S. or around the globe, and keep your costs competitive. For more information about the foreign trade zone, please contact Lynn Vikesland at (617) 946-4445.