GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Jun 24, 2026
Foreign Trade Zone Reefer Storage
A Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) is a customs-privileged area where imported goods may be stored, repackaged, or processed before import duties are assessed.
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Source: https://www.cbp.gov/border-security/ports-entry/cargo-security/foreign-trade-zones
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Logistics concept
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Definition & Explanation
A Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) is a customs-privileged area where imported goods may be stored, repackaged, or processed before import duties are assessed. Reefer storage within an FTZ extends this deferred-duty advantage to temperature-sensitive commodities such as fresh produce, seafood, and pharmaceuticals, held in refrigerated chambers or powered reefer-container bays. Duties and import taxes fall due only when goods are formally entered into domestic commerce. Throughout the storage period, operators must maintain both customs inventory records and continuous temperature logs: the zone's duty-neutral status does not suspend food safety or traceability obligations under applicable law.
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