Port of Tucson Begins Receiving International Freight by Rail

The inland Port of Tucson, Ariz., began receiving international freight by rail, the Arizona Daily Star reported.

Earlier this year, the port received approval from Union Pacific to service international ocean containers from the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles twice a week, according to the newspaper.

It will also send containers from Tucson to the California ports five days a week, the newspaper reported.

Previously, ocean containers bound for southern Arizona had to be trucked directly to the importer with the empty containers returned by truck to the California ports.

The port estimates every rail shipment means about 240 trucks are taken off the road, the Daily Star reported.