Trade and Commercial Law Assessment - Honduras - Economic ...

TRADE AND COMMERCIAL LAW ASSESSMENT DECEMBER 2004
HONDURAS
k.
Automation would expedite acceptance and release of merchandise, and would decrease
the need for an onsite Customs presence.
♦ Operators must employ full-time Customs officers, even through Customs staff are
occupied only 20–50 percent of the time.
♦ All told, the costs and delays associated with Customs processing have severely affected
warehouse businesses. For the past 6 years, warehouse profits have been declining
because Customs restrictions have been driving business away. Despite having the lowest
costs in the region, Honduran warehouse operators can no longer compete. Efforts to
lobby for the required reforms within
the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank have
failed. The industry is still operating within the confines
of an unchanged 1967 law. As a
result, this critical private supporting institution is
in danger of disappearing.
The transportation
industry generally provides an adequate service at a reasonable rate for the
Honduran
trading community.
According to transportation officials, the focal point for sea transportation is Puerto
Cortez,
which handles 90 percent of Honduran vessel traffic. Approximately 30 carrier lines, including
10– 12 major international containerized carriers and small bulk carrier lines, call at the port. In
total, about
150 calls per month are made through this facility, with a minimum of one call per
day to and
from the southeast coast of the United States. The major carriers all have terminals
within the port limits.
Although security is good within these areas, theft has occurred when
containers
are drayed outside these areas for examinations. As a result, carriers now demand a
letter of
transfer with receipt. If the cargo is not returned within 24 hours, the carrier checks on
its status.
In addition, containers are left off wheels at night to make theft more difficult.
The trucking industry falls into two distinct groups: five major operators handle about 40 percent
of the trade, with the remainder covered by small owner-operators. The Cámara de Transporte
de Carga de Honduras (CATRACHO) is Honduras’s
major trucking association, representing 70
percent of the industry through its 1,700 company
members. Each carrier has its own
arrangement
with the trucking companies. Some run their own operations, others use the major
trucking
companies, and some deal exclusively with the small owner-operator businesses. Most
require that the vehicles be in good condition and no older than 6 to 10 years.
♦
Transport Industry—Vessel Carriers and Truckers
1) Transport Industry Operations That Support Trade Facilitation
High-quality, sufficient service is available to the trade through the vessel carriers calling
at Puerto Cortez. These international carriers meet industry standards regarding security
and operate efficiently within their private terminals at the
port.
♦ An excellent partnership exists between the carriers and the trucking community. Most
carriers compensate partially
for rising fuel costs. Carriers dealing with small companies
will finance the maintenance of a fleet, secure fuel at reduced costs, and provide
insurance, deducting small amounts from each payment to cover these expenses. No
interest is charged for these services.
XI-27