The city of Detroit, home of the American automobile, sits proudly on the shores of Lake Michigan where it has risen to become a world power in international auto shipping. This is due to the development of the assembly line, the dedication of American workers, and its geographical position near the beginning of the Mississippi River. International auto shipping from Detroit begins with the long trek through America's heartland and emerges into the Gulf of Mexico and eventually the Caribbean, gateway to the rest of the world.

The success of international auto shipping, like any other type of global commerce, is dependent on the ability of the manufacturer to get their goods and services to a market that has a demand for them within as short a time frame as possible. Speed and efficiency are the two most important factors in international commerce. The assembly line, which was invented in Detroit, enables automobile manufacturers to build cars faster and more efficiently. Automation of assembly lines today has increased that output and turned international auto shipping into something that even Henry Ford never dreamed of.

The transport route that goes into and through the Caribbean is one of the oldest in North America. The Mississippi River, since the days of Lewis and Clarke, has been a major travel route for those going north to south. The cities and towns that have been built along the Mississippi have been dependent on it for commerce and trade since the 19th Century. Detroit has the added advantage of a safe harbor in Lake Michigan and is not affected by the swelling of river banks or flooding that occurs in spring.

The Mississippi ends at the Gulf of Mexico where the city of New Orleans is located. International auto shipping transports from Detroit offload vehicles there that can be transferred to larger vessels for overseas transport or overland carriers for transport to Mexico or other parts of the United States. The cargo ships going overseas either go past Key West and into the Atlantic or through the Yucatan Channel into the Caribbean to follow the same route discovered by Columbus over five hundred years ago.

Markets for international auto shipping in the Caribbean include Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Cuba is also located in the Caribbean but trade there is still restricted. Havana, once the shining star of the Caribbean, does not encourage imports from the United States but other nations do and many of them, like Puerto Rico, are actually American territories. The waters of the Caribbean are generally friendly seas for U.S. shipping and international auto shipping to the islands is prosperous. The region is best known for its beautiful beaches and warm blue waters but there are automobiles present there and many of them are made in America. The cities of San Juan, Puerto Rico and Kingston, Jamaica have as much morning traffic as many of those on the mainland.