Foreign-Trade Zone #216
We are the seventh largest marina in the state and the center of recreational boating activities in the South Sound.
What is a Foreign-Trade Zone (FTZ)?
Foreign-trade zone was created to encourage activity and investment in the United states. FTZ is a designated location in the United States where companies can use special customs procedures that help encourage U.S. activity and value added – in competition with foreign alternatives – by allowing delayed or reduced duty payments on foreign merchandise, as well as other savings.
The South Puget Sound Foreign-Trade Zone (FTZ #216)
As Grantee of FTZ #216, the Port of Olympia administers the South Puget Sound Foreign-Trade Zone in the Thurston, Mason, Lewis and Kitsap counties.
Building local prosperity through global business
The FTZ program promotes American competitiveness by encouraging companies to maintain and expand their operations in the United States. The FTZ program corrects trade imbalances by treating a product made in a U.S. foreign-trade zone, for purposes of customs tariffs.
The South Puget Sound Foreign-Trade Zone is a collaborative effort at the regional level. The communities of South Puget Sound are striving to create, maintain and diversify economic development in the region. FTZ #216 has generated a great deal of interest nationwide because of its collaborative efforts and unique multi-site, 4-county coverage.
Benefit for Businesses
The FTZ program helps American companies improve their competitive position versus their counterparts abroad. The FTZ program allows US-based companies to defer, reduce or even eliminate Customs duties on products admitted to the Zone. For example:
- Domestic goods involving foreign items can be processed in a zone to eliminate or reduce customer duties.
- Duty-free treatment is accorded items that are re-exported and duty payment is deferred on items sold in the U.S. market.
Benefits for Communities
When companies increase their cash flow, save taxes and improve their bottom line by locating their operations in FTZs, communities benefit in several important ways.
- Economic growth and development are stimulated because jobs are retained and created in the community.
- Opportunities are created for suppliers and service providers to locate in the community.
- An FTZ project can be a valuable asset when a community is trying to attract new business investment to its area.
- A community with an FTZ may experience an improved infrastructure and expanded tax-base as a result of higher employment and the influx of new businesses.
More than 250 communities throughout the United States support and rely on the benefits that the FTZ program offers public as well as private entities.
For more information about the South Puget Sound Foreign-Trade Zone (FTZ #216), visit the FTZ website at www.ftz216.com
