CEVA Logistics, Houston, Texas, opened a foreign trade zone (FTZ) warehouse operation in Miami. The new facility joins CEVA’s existing network of FTZ operations in Los Angeles, Dallas/Fort Worth and Chicago.

Located within CEVA’s Miami gateway operation, the new FTZ has a 4,172-squre-foot activated, secured and compliance-controlled area that will utilize inventory control systems approved by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Depending upon the needs of the customer, CEVA will utilize the approved zone lot tracking system or a first-in, first-out universal identification number system.

“The foreign trade zone is designed to lower the costs of import duties and provide tax relief, which customers can use to benefit their bottom line,” says Brenda Custer-Espeleta, vice president of U.S. customs brokerage operations. “Given the strategic importance of this location to our customers, the FTZ’s cost reduction options and solutions for our import customers are compelling. CEVA’s licensed professionals are highly experienced in U.S. customs regulatory compliance and the operation of foreign trade zones. This ensures that our customers can maximize the benefits provided by an FTZ.”

Benefits of a foreign trade zone include duty deferral (duties paid only upon transfer of goods from the FTZ into the United States), duty elimination on exports, duty reduction if scrap/waste while within the FTZ, harbor maintenance fee deferred for ocean arrivals (due quarterly rather than on arrival) and merchandise processing fee savings, paying a maximum of $485 weekly rather than $485 for each shipment.