Last week, Kansas City Southern and subsidiary KCS-Mexico completed a successful intermodal test run from the Port of Lazaro Cardenas in Mexico to San Antonio, Texas.

It was the first international, in-bond, double-stack container test shipment between KCSR and KCSM. The container shipment of barbecue pits from China moved via rail from the Port of Lazaro Cardenas on KCSM to Laredo, TX. From Laredo, KCSR arranged for it to be trucked to San Antonio, TX. The shipper, who is considering the route as an alternative, said that the route was two days faster than its best times through the Port of Los Angeles/Long Beach, California.

KCSR director sales and marketing Ron Bird joined the shipper's executives in Lazaro Cardenas for departure of the test shipment, and will continue discussions in the coming weeks. A number of shippers like this one are considering the route. As interest grows in service through the Port of Lazaro Cardenas, KCSRKCSM is developing premium intermodal service with dedicated trains from the Port of Lazaro Cardenas to destinations throughout the KCSR/KCSM network. Transit times and reliability are expected to improve as capital investments in the corridor are made, and as volumes grow along the corridor.