HOUSTON, Oct. 23, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Port of Houston Authority successfully hosted its 2nd Annual Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) Conference in Houston Thursday, an event that brought together 100 regional industry players and local and state government entities in a complimentary and educational conference outlining the major benefits of using FTZ No. 84.
FTZ No. 84, the top-ranked zone in terms of total merchandise receipts, is managed by the Port of Houston Authority and conveniently located in and around Harris County. The maritime portal through the Houston Ship Channel connects the zone to multimodal distribution access on a robust rail freight and highway network in the greater Houston region and beyond.
“We have every type of authorization available at FTZ No. 84, and our customer base continues to grow,” Port of Houston Authority Manager of Foreign Trade Zone and Economic Development Shane Williams said.
“Growth in our zone hit a record last year with five new authorizations, but this year that number has doubled. We already have 10 new authorizations to date in 2015,” Williams said. The total value of shipments, both domestic and foreign, increased 150 percent to total $25 billion, while exports out of the zone doubled to reach $500 million.
The economic stimulus generated by the Port of Houston’s FTZ is underscored by solid job growth. One thousand full-time jobs were created in the past year alone.
FTZ benefit experts and current authorized users outlined the perks and cost considerations in utilizing the zone. The event brought together high-level speakers from Ernst & Young, the U.S. Foreign Trade Zone Board, Mitsubishi Caterpillar Forklift America Inc. and Ryan Global Tax Services.
The Port of Houston Authority looks forward to hosting this event in years to come in an effort to educate the public and provide ongoing support for the region, state and country’s continued economic prosperity.
About the Port of Houston Authority
For more than 100 years, the Port of Houston Authority has owned or operated the public cargo-handling facilities of the Port of Houston – the nation’s largest port for foreign waterborne tonnage. The port is an economic engine for the Houston region, the state of Texas and the nation. It supports the creation of more than one million statewide jobs and more than 2.1 million nationwide jobs, and the generation of economic activity totaling more than $178.5 billion in Texas and $499 billion across the nation. For more information, visit the Port Authority website at: www.portofhouston.com
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