The announcement was made in early September 2023. Leo Huisman, regional general manager of APM Terminals Americas , notified the maritime and foreign trade community of the start of Phase II of the expansion of the specialized container terminal (TEC) that the company has been operating in the port of Lázaro Cárdenas since 2017, the only one of its kind in Latin America as it has the component of being semi-automated, one of its main characteristics.
The investment focused on expansion is no small feat. At least 140 million dollars (mdd) would be allocated until the first half of 2026, when it is estimated that the works will have been completed at the terminal, and where an additional capacity of one million 20-foot containers (TEU) will be available, to reach 2.2 million TEU capacity throughout the TEC.
“In Phase II we are moving forward according to plan. In fact, we are preparing part of the equipment in advance,” says Beatriz Yera, general manager of APM Terminals in Mexico, in an interview with T21. The executive is referring to the incorporation at the end of 2024 of 14 new state-of-the-art cranes (shuttle carriers) that are in a review process, that is, to ensure that they comply with the safety parameters and technical specifications in order to be integrated into the operation.
Each of these cranes has a load capacity of up to 50 tonnes, features hybrid technology and Stage V engines, which are expected to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 20% , aligning with APM Terminals’ goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2040.
Meanwhile, the eighth dock crane is also expected to arrive by mid-year, as well as six cranes for the automated yard, among other equipment. At the same time, on the 15.7 hectares that will be added to the container yard, progress is currently being made in removing soil and leveling the ground.
When asked about the coexistence between construction work and terminal operations, Yera said that “part of the expansion is not currently converging with the operation. The only point where it will converge will be when the new equipment arrives, the large equipment, the new equipment, as happened with the shuttle carrier cranes , where we had to dedicate a space on the dock to receive the ship and to operate the ship with the new equipment. So let’s say that this is the point of greatest confluence for that, because we have separated the area precisely to avoid any type of impact on the current operation.”
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