Kansas City Southern Announces Train Service to Ports America's Multi-Modal Shipper Facility in Toluca, Mexico

Source: Market Watch

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Apr 28, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Kansas City Southern (KCS) is pleased to announce the addition of intermodal train service to Puerta Mexico, a new multi-modal facility in Toluca, Mexico. Operated by Ports America, Puerta Mexico is located on KCS' International Intermodal Corridor and offers shippers a convenient alternative to and from the busy Mexico City market.

In addition to train service, Puerta Mexico offers multi-modal terminal services and on-site customs and bonded warehousing facilities to ocean carriers, intermodal and other logistics service providers. With its direct access to Kansas City Southern de Mexico, S.A. de C.V.'s (KCSM) "N" line, Puerta Mexico will become the terminal of choice for service to and from the central valley, the Port of Lazaro Cardenas and the border crossing at Nuevo Laredo/Laredo.

With an estimated capacity exceeding 150,000 containers and two million plus tons of cargo per year on more than 130 developed acres, it essentially doubles the intermodal capacity available to the greater Mexican central valley region and alleviates congestion in the central valley supply chain. In addition to storage, cross-dock and transloading, the terminal will be a vehicle distribution center.

"KCS is pleased to partner with Ports America to provide train service to the Toluca facility," said KCS President and Chief Operating Officer David L. Starling. "This modern and efficient facility offers an attractive option for the multi-modal shipper with access to the industrial heartlands of the U.S. and Mexico via KCS' International Intermodal Corridor."

Ports America Chief Operating Officer Wim Lagaay also commented on the importance of this service.

"The intermodal and related supply chain services that have been made possible by this partnership will bring to the Central Mexican Valley Region world class levels of multi-modal service and efficiency," said Lagaay. "The significant investment in this modern facility introduces much needed high-quality capacity to serve this fast-growing and increasingly sophisticated market."

About KCS

Headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., KCS is a transportation holding company that has railroad investments in the U.S., Mexico and Panama. Its primary U.S. holding is The Kansas City Southern Railway Company, serving the central and south central U.S. Its international holdings include KCSM, serving northeastern and central Mexico and the port cities of Lazaro Cardenas, Tampico and Veracruz, and a 50 percent interest in Panama Canal Railway Company, providing ocean-to-ocean freight and passenger service along the Panama Canal. KCS' North American rail holdings and strategic alliances are primary components of a NAFTA Railway system, linking the commercial and industrial centers of the U.S., Mexico and Canada. The KCS website address is www.kcsouthern.com.

About Ports America

Ports America, headquartered in Iselin, N.J., is the largest independent port terminal operator in North America, providing terminal management and a full suite of stevedoring and related services, including portside automotive processing services. Ports America, including its predecessor companies, has more than 85 years of experience operating American seaports. Its current business includes 50 ports and 97 terminals in North America, handling containers, roll on/roll off cargo, general cargo and cruise ship passengers and luggage.

As one of the largest employers of maritime labor in North America, Ports America employs more than 12,000 people each day at its operations, including full-time equivalent employees.