The customs office at the port of Lázaro Cárdenas has extended its hours for processing import and export goods, a measure aimed at streamlining operations and increasing capacity to handle more cargo. However, for the trucking industry, this growth also presents a challenge outside the port area: the development of a highway infrastructure that still needs to keep pace with the increased flow of heavy vehicles .
Starting this week, the port is operating from 8:00 a.m. to midnight, Monday through Friday , following a trial period with extended hours. On Saturdays, the hours designated by the carriers are from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. José Alberto Varela, president of the Federal Freight Carriers Association in Lázaro Cárdenas , explained that the extension responds to a request made by various members of the port community and aims to address the operational backlogs previously experienced.
According to the leader, it currently takes an average of five hours from when a unit registers until it leaves the port , compared to previous periods in which delays of between 12 and 16 hours were recorded .
“The average time from check-in to departure from the port is about five hours,” Varela noted, adding that these statistics were reviewed by various members of the port community.
Extending the hours also allows for increased appointment availability. Varela explained that previously, port terminals operated with an average of 500 appointments per day , but with a wider window, they will have more space to accommodate the entry of vehicles and the movement of goods.
The adjustment comes as port terminals continue infrastructure work and expand their capacity with equipment, cranes, and personnel. On the trucking side, companies are also developing external yards for the storage and handling of containers.
But while capacity within the port is increasing, the challenge shifts to its land connections .
Varela acknowledged that the flow of vehicles, particularly heavy equipment, has already exceeded the needs of the current road infrastructure , so the expansion of the Siglo XXI highway will be necessary to support the growth of operations.
“By the end of 2029, we will have the four-lane Morelia-Lázaro Cárdenas highway ready, which we desperately need. Why? Because the flow of traffic, especially heavy equipment, has exceeded the capacity of that highway,” he stated.
According to the carrier, the section from Morelia to Lázaro Cárdenas up to the Pátzcuaro area is already showing progress towards four lanes; while the section from Pátzcuaro to Cuatro Caminos is estimated to be completed towards the end of 2027 and the expansion from Cuatro Caminos to Lázaro Cárdenas towards the end of 2029.
In addition to road capacity, there is also safety on the routes . The leader explained that transporters and authorities participate in inter-institutional meetings to address theft, accidents, and road conditions, as well as maintaining escort programs for vehicles leaving the port.
Regarding cargo volume, Varela acknowledged that 2026 has been a year of more moderate growth . According to figures he said he obtained through meetings with the port authority, the increase has been between 4% and 6%, compared to rates of between 10% and 12% observed in previous years.
The transport representative attributed this behavior to a complex trade environment, marked, among other factors, by tariffs and changes in tax and customs regulations. Among the goods currently generating the greatest demand for trucking from Lázaro Cárdenas, he identified containerized cargo and vehicles .
The Federal Freight Carriers Association in Lázaro Cárdenas currently includes more than 125 transport lines , with a vehicle fleet exceeding 4,500 units , according to Varela.
The extended hours thus open a new window to increase the movement of goods in Lázaro Cárdenas, but also raise the following challenge: that road capacity, security and access grow at the pace of a port operation that seeks to move more cargo .
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