Ports in Mexico ended 2024 with a record of nine million 375 thousand 570 20-foot containers (TEU) operated , which meant a growth of 12% compared to a year earlier and the first time that this figure was reached, but also a situation that has put the capacity of the infrastructure installed in the different terminals at risk of collapse.
According to statistics from the General Coordination of Ports and Merchant Marine (CGPMM) , belonging to the Secretariat of the Navy (Semar) , of the total TEUs registered last year, 99.02% or nine million 283 thousand 805 TEUs corresponded to movements in deep-sea traffic (export and import).
Specifically, import maneuvers totaled three million 859 thousand 965 TEU (+11.1%), while export maneuvers were three million 782 thousand 057 TEU (+12.7%).
In terms of volume, this meant just over 59.1 million tonnes of containerised goods in 2024, 10.8% more than in 2023.
It highlights that the country’s main ports, Manzanillo, Lázaro Cárdenas, Altamira and Veracruz , handled 91.2% of the total number of containers in deep-sea traffic last year.
These same four ports were put to shame last year in terms of their reaction times during the peak season .
According to the Average Time Indicator for Motor Transport in Ports (ITPAP) , prepared by T21 Business Intelligence, which analyzes the average time that tractor-trailers spend in the process of collecting imported merchandise, broken down into three critical categories (maneuvering, waiting and time in customs), during July 2024 an average time of 29 hours and 45 minutes was recorded, quite the opposite of what was presented at the end of the year, with 3 hours, one minute and 50 seconds in December.
Meanwhile, official statistics also indicate that cabotage activity (movements between national ports) totaled 91,765 TEUs or 108.3% more , according to the comparison periods.
In recent years, various private terminals in the country’s main ports have begun expansion processes to be able to support the increase in demand for port services. But perhaps the most emblematic project would come from the federal government itself, with the start of construction of what has been called Nuevo Manzanillo , where up to four specialized container terminals are planned, and with which it is hoped to be able to cope with the volumes projected for the coming years.
Total containers operated by type of traffic (January-December) (TEU)
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