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Published July 19, 2010

In the last column I described the rationale for and the beginning of a car passenger ferry between South Texas and Central America as well as the concept described as the Pan American Maritime Highway.
The reasons that supported the project ten years ago are still valid today and the demand has more than doubled as indicated by the large increases in vehicle exports registered at the U.S. Customs Port at Los Indios, Texas.
Further, In 2006, The IDB “Pan America Maritime Highway Feasibility Study” commented: “We conclude that a US–Honduras service based on a conventional ferry and geared toward the Transmigrantes hold promise. The US–Honduras service based on a conventional ferry could be expanded to include a Mexican call, once demand from US adventurers, campers, and residents develops.” More »

Published Brownsville Herald July 4, 2010

The vision for a car-passenger ferry service between the southern United States and Central America began in Brownsville, Texas in 1994 while I was assigned as a Supervisory Customs Officer at the new Free Trade Bridge in Los Indios, Texas.
I observed that during just a few months the number of expatriate Central Americans crossing into Mexico en-route to their homes in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, etc. grew exponentially.
I also, found that the government of Mexico, in an effort to limit foreign vehicles being sold illegally in Mexico had designated the new bridge as a primary crossing point for those in transit.
The Central Americans, ”Transmigrantes”, made arrangements for vehicle entry permits, posted security bonds and a place in an officially accompanied caravan through agents located on the U.S. side.
After interviewing a number of these “Transmigrantes” I found that the trip, of more than five days, was difficult and hazardous, as well as costly in unexpected official fees and repairs.
There were 21,153 Transmigrantes exporting vehicles during 1993, which more than doubled to 50,409 by 1994, when I retired. More »