Management Information Systems in Cross-Border Shipment - Term Paper Example

e in trade in areas where crossing borders is relatively easy and where products are significantly cheaper in one place than another, often because of significant variations in taxation levels on goods. When you talk to a person living in the U.S., they only think of cross-border shipping is between U.S. to Mexico or Canada, in reality that is not the sole case. It actually consists of international flows of trade to other countries. Through all of these transactions across foreign borders there have been regulations on trade to govern both parties involved, basically making it an even playing field.

When moving shipments into and out of Canada, what you dont know can hurt you. Specialized logistics providers can help you capitalize on opportunities, ensure compliance, and keep you safe from harm. Canada is currently the United States largest trading partner, with $616 billion in total goods moving between the two countries during 2012, according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (Inbound Logistics 2013). But crossing even a peaceful border such as the one between the United States and Canada is growing more complex as regulations mount—some call it the "thickening" of the border (Inbound Logistics 2013).

That complexity has many U.S. shippers turning to third-party logistics (3PL) providers, carriers, and customs brokers with the experience and infrastructure to make moving goods into, out of, and within Canada as seamless as possible. Teaming with an expert staff goes a long way in ensuring importers and exporters follow the correct regulations, file the right paperwork, meet deadlines, and entrust cargo to a compliant carrier (Inbound Logistics 2013). Shippers must complete all this preparation at least two hours before a truck arrives at the port or face costly delays and risk extra steps that promise to stall shipments even longer.

Efficient border crossing is all about working in advance. Having broken down the issues surrounding the