UPS is extending its Trade Direct Ocean service to more than 70 ports in Asia, Europe, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East, as well as adding Miami as a U.S. port of entry. In 2003 the company expanded the service to 40 ports. The service, says Atlanta-based UPS, allows merchandise to more quickly enter the UPS delivery system once it clears customs. It works as follows: Goods headed for the U.S. are individually packaged, gathered at the origin port and labeled for U.S. delivery by UPS. The goods are shipped in ocean vessel space booked by UPS, which clears them through customs as one consolidated unit. Then the shipment is separated and delivered. The new ports of origin are in Japan, Indonesia, India, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, Uruguay and Venezuela.
