Administración General de Aduanas
Aduana de Nuevo Laredo
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Laredo Field Office
May 23, 2017 1820 hours
Joint Statement (English Translation)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Customs of Nuevo Laredo issue update on the resumption of the processing of empties at World Trade Bridge as of 1600 hours, Tuesday, May 23, 2017.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Field Operations in conjunction with Servicio de Administración Tributaria (SAT) Customs of Nuevo Laredo are informing that the processing of empties (tractors and empty trailers) for both import and export through the World Trade Bridge has resumed as of Tuesday, May 23, 2017 at 1600 hours.
The resumption of this processing includes the usual operational hours from 0700 hours to 2400 hours daily.
May 23, 2017 1340 hours
Joint Statement (English Translation)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Customs of Nuevo Laredo issue the following report on damages incurred as a result of a meteorological phenomenon on Sunday, May 21, 2017.
At approximately 16:30 hours, a meteorological phenomenon (storm with strong winds, rain and hail known as flat winds) struck both in the city of Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico and Laredo, Texas causing significant damages to the facilities of what is known as Bridge III (in Nuevo Laredo) and World Trade Bridge in Laredo. Bridge III on the Mexican side belongs to Customs of Nuevo Laredo. World Trade Bridge is a City of Laredo facility that is run and operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection Field Operations.
The damages in Nuevo Laredo included roofs blown off, overturned tractors, wet computer equipment, damaged Primary booths, loss of electrical energy, and lack of access to the international bridge due to the collapse of electricity poles and advertisement billboards, as well as damage to the staff quarters for Mexican Customs.
World Trade Bridge suffered similar structural and interior building damages that included severe roof damages that allowed for water to enter the building causing flooding inside the building, the damage of interior office furniture and equipment, computers, exterior canopies blown off, and several hauling trailers extensively damaged.
It is important to note that there is no report of any injured person as a result of the damages at either facility.
As a result of all of the aforementioned the following is what has transpired and reported to the appropriate entities;
A) In Nuevo Laredo the current situation status was reported to the SAT Emergency Operations Center.
B) Both U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Mexican SAT have been in constant communications since the onset of this natural disaster and have jointly come to the consensus that due to the extensive impact that the damages from the storm have caused, it mandates that both facilities be closed for operations from Monday, May 22 to Sunday, May 28, 2017 to provide for the cleanup, repairs, and restoration of services.
C) Mexican Customs at Colombia Bridge was contacted with the intent to direct commercial traffic from World Trade Bridge (8,000 crossings daily, 4,000 northbound, 4,000 southbound) to Colombia-Solidarity Bridge as a contingency measure which was communicated by a trade bulletin to bridge users on May 21. It is important to mention that CBP and Mexican Customs operations at Colombia-Solidarity Bridge are in good working order, unaffected by the storm. Traffic will flow in the following lanes:
For exports from Mexico to Laredo: Lanes 3,4, and wide loads for Colombia, Lanes 4 and 5.
For imports to Mexico arriving from Laredo: Lanes 1, 2 and 3, for Colombia, lanes 4 and 5.
CBP Field Operations at Colombia-Solidarity Bridge advised that its hours of operations will be extended by one hour, from 8 a.m. to midnight to 7 a.m. to midnight or beyond, commensurate with the volume of traffic, effective on Tuesday, May 23, 2017.
In addition, word was given to Civil Protection in Nuevo Laredo and Customs of Nuevo Laredo remains in constant contact with SAT, CBP with the goal of restoring operations at World Trade Bridge effective Monday, May 29.
The following numbers have been placed at the disposition of all bridge users to clarify any questions or to receive comments:
Customs of Nuevo Laredo telephone: (867) 711-32-04 y 01
Email contact: aduana.nvo.laredo@sat.gob.mx; isaura.lopez@sat.gob.mx