Last updated: October 5, 2026
A large share of the containers that land at the Port of Houston do not stay in Texas: they continue to plants and distribution centers in Mexico. Eilan Trade Solutions clears at the Port of Houston and in the Laredo and Nuevo Laredo corridor, so the same file follows the container from the vessel to the plant. A customs broker since 1994.
Two ways to move your container
- Clearance at Houston. We file the entry at the port against the bill of lading. It fits when the goods, or part of them, stay in the United States, or when your operation calls for it.
- In-bond from Houston to Laredo. When the final destination is Mexico, the container moves in-bond to Laredo without paying U.S. duty, and the in-bond is closed there as the goods are exported to Mexico. See in-bond shipments explained.
Which one fits depends on the final destination, the origin of the goods and your program in Mexico (IMMEX, PROSEC, USMCA). It is decided before the vessel arrives.
The route, step by step
- Before loading. We review the invoice, packing list and bill of lading, and set the tariff classification in both countries. The Importer Security Filing (ISF) is filed before the cargo is loaded at origin.
- Arrival at Houston. Entry at the port or the in-bond is opened, with other-agency requirements where the product calls for them (EPA, DOT, FDA, USDA).
- Move to Laredo. The container is trucked from Houston to Laredo.
- Laredo warehouse. Transload from the ocean container to a trailer or flatbed, consolidation, labeling or storage in the bonded warehouse while the pedimento is completed. The empty container goes back to the ocean carrier.
- Crossing into Mexico. Mexican import pedimento at Nuevo Laredo, or through the Colombia bridge for hazardous materials and oversize cargo, with Carta Porte.
- Delivery. Trucking to your plant or distribution center in Mexico.
What arrives through Houston
Resins and plastics, chemicals, steel and pipe, energy project equipment, project cargo, machinery and containerized consumer goods. Much of this freight is hazardous or oversize, and that decides which bridge it crosses. For oilfield equipment and machinery, see oilfield and heavy equipment between Houston and Mexico.
Where days are lost
- Too many hands. A broker at the port, a trucker to the border and another broker on the Mexican side: at each handoff the classification is retyped and a day is lost.
- Container free time. Time at the terminal and the ocean carrier’s deadline to return the container start at discharge. Having the documents ready before arrival avoids delays.
- An in-bond left open. A transit that is not arrived and closed on time leads to penalties.
- A pedimento that does not match. If what is received in Laredo differs from what was declared, it is corrected before the crossing, not at the customs inspection.
How Eilan helps
- Ocean freight clearance at the Port of Houston and air freight at Houston Intercontinental (IAH).
- In-bond from Houston to Laredo: we create it, arrive it and close it.
- 200,000 sq ft of warehouse space in Laredo with our own team: transload, cross-dock, bonded storage and hazmat.
- Mexican pedimento and cross-border trucking, with the same team.
- CTPAT and OEA certified.
Frequently asked questions
Do I pay U.S. duty if my container is going to Mexico?
Not necessarily. If the goods only cross the United States on their way to Mexico, they can move in-bond from Houston to Laredo without paying U.S. duty. Import taxes are paid in Mexico with the pedimento.
Does the ocean container cross into Mexico?
Most often the freight is transloaded in Laredo onto equipment that crosses the border, and the empty container is returned to the ocean carrier. It depends on the cargo and the destination.
Do you handle hazardous cargo arriving at Houston?
Yes. Send the safety data sheet with the product details and we confirm the classification, the documents and the route before the freight arrives. At Laredo, hazardous materials cross at the Colombia bridge. See the hazmat documents checklist.
Request a quote
Tell us what is arriving at Houston, when, and where it is going in Mexico. Request a quote or call +1 (956) 717-4150, Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM Central.