The border crossing station located in Duluth, MN is a busy shipping hub between the United States of America and Canada. Duluth is located on Lake Superior and is the busiest shipping port located in all of the Great Lakes by volume, and is the second largest dry bulk shipping port in all of the United States. Because of how busy the port is in terms of international shipping, it offers Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents the opportunity to serve their country through the inspection of goods coming in and out of the country.
The city of Duluth is also located on a major truck shipping route between the twin cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis and the Canadian city of Thunder Bay, which is located on Lake Superior as well. Thunder Bay is an important Canadian shipping terminal because of its location near Canada’s largest metropolitan area, Toronto, Ontario.
Cargo and Agricultural Inspection in Duluth
Training and education requirements prepare border patrol agents in Duluth, MN is to inspect the various cargo shipments that are being transported to and from the United States via trucks on the major highways in the area and ships on Lake Superior.
Cargo Inspection Agents: This customs and border patrol job is an important one because it is the bulk of the responsibilities heaped on the Duluth border patrol agents. These agents are specially trained to know what to look for in suspicious cargo, and are responsible for making sure that all cargo being transported is in compliance with federal and international regulations.
Agricultural Inspection Agents: Agents trained in agricultural inspection are responsible for reviewing fruits, vegetables and other food products that are being transported in between the two countries. This is important because certain agricultural products can disrupt the local ecosystems in certain regions.
Canine Inspection Units: This border patrol job trains employees to utilize canines in order to inspect cargo for drugs, explosives and other illegal contraband. Drugs and other items can be tricky to locate because they tend to be hidden away in large cargo shipments and can usually only be detected via trained canines.
Troubles at the Border
As border crossing regulations have become more and more restrictive, many businesses in the Duluth area have complained about the loss of business. Elected officials in the state of Minnesota have proposed solutions that would decrease inspection times and lessen the wait times for shipments to come to and from Canada, with the hopes that it will increase business or at least restore it to previous levels.