In the history of Mexican port development, there are visible actors—terminals, operators, shipping companies—and others who work from a less public but equally crucial perspective: that of technical expertise. It is within this sphere that the Mexican Association of Port, Maritime, and Coastal Engineering (AMIP) operates . This organization, which recently celebrated its 60th anniversary , offers insights, through the words of its current president, Antonio Moreno, into how the country’s ports have evolved and what challenges still remain.
AMIP was born in a very different time than today . More than a formal institution, it began as a group of young engineers interested in sharing knowledge and contributing to the country’s maritime development. “There was a group of very young engineers who formed this association with the idea of disseminating knowledge and trying to influence port development,” Moreno recalled in an interview with T21.
That initial community brought together specialists from various sectors—from Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) to the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) and maritime construction companies—who found in the association a space to exchange technical expertise. Over time, this “club of friends,” as Moreno himself described it, evolved into a more structured organization that began to consolidate technical conferences and mechanisms for disseminating specialized knowledge.
The evolution of AMIP has also paralleled the transformation of the Mexican port system. One of the clearest turning points, Moreno explained, came with the enactment of the 1993 Ports Law , which opened the door to private sector participation in the terminals. “That change allowed for private participation and gave the country a significant boost: modernization, efficiency, and a more robust administrative framework,” he noted.
The opening spurred the modernization of the terminals and laid the foundation for the model that now dominates Mexican port operations. However, growth has not been uniform nor without logistical challenges. The very development of foreign trade has reshaped the country’s port landscape.
For decades, Veracruz handled the largest volume of cargo. But the trade boom with Asia changed the equation . “When China began to have greater commercial activity, it led to the development of Pacific ports, particularly Manzanillo and Lázaro Cárdenas,” Moreno explained.
In the case of Lázaro Cárdenas, the existing industrial infrastructure allowed it to absorb some of that growth. Manzanillo, on the other hand, had to adapt on the fly to a rapid increase in volume. The result is a phenomenon that still defines part of the logistics conversation in Mexico today .
“The problem in Manzanillo is not so much port infrastructure, but rather the logistics of evacuation,” Moreno warned.
The statement points to a reality that is often lost in public debate: the port is not just the dock or the cranes . It is a complete logistics system that connects ships, yards, land transport, customs, and consumption centers.
“A port doesn’t work alone; it’s a supply chain where all links must have congruent capabilities,” he said.
From that perspective, Mexican port infrastructure—according to the AMIP president’s assessment—has sufficient capacity to meet current demand. The real challenge lies in the other links of the logistics chain: highways, security, customs processes, and comprehensive planning .
Security , in fact, appears as a factor that conditions logistical mobility. Moreno describes it from his personal experience: “I have stopped traveling by road because I don’t know if there will be a blockade or some other problem; there are many unforeseen circumstances that affect transport from the ports to the highlands.”
Along the same lines, the specialist identified a structural deficiency that has accompanied Mexican port development for decades: the lack of continuity in strategic planning .
In the 1970s, there was a National Port Development Plan that outlined the growth of the main maritime facilities. However, with each successive administration, that vision gradually faded away.
“There was a national plan where each port had a development project. But it was abandoned over time ,” Moreno recalled.
The result, he warned, is growth that in some cases responds more to current circumstances or investment pressures than to a long-term strategy. One example he mentions is Altamira , whose industrial development has progressed through successive adjustments to the original projects.
“There was a well-planned project, but it became disorganized as investors arrived who wanted to locate in certain spaces,” he explained.
The lack of comprehensive planning is also reflected in emerging port projects . Moreno mentions the case of Matamoros , whose development has stemmed from an infrastructure that was not originally conceived as a commercial port.
In his opinion, the priority should not be to multiply new facilities, but to consolidate the planning of the existing port system and its logistical connection with the interior of the country.
Another issue he considered underestimated on the national maritime agenda is cabotage . While road transport faces saturation, insecurity, and high costs, cargo movement between national ports remains marginal.
“We continue to think that everything is international transit and we don’t pay attention to cabotage , which could alleviate the congestion on our roads,” he warned.
But beyond logistical efficiency, Moreno placed at the center of his reflection another element that he considers critical for the future of ports: the environment .
The very evolution of the association’s name – from port engineering to port, maritime and coastal infrastructure – reflects a broadening of the focus towards coastal protection and a comprehensive understanding of the maritime environment.
“The coasts are experiencing significant impacts, and we need more knowledge about marine engineering to design protection works, dredging, and coastal management ,” he said.
The concern is significant. From beach erosion to the impact of poorly planned projects , port development can generate environmental effects that require regulation and specialized technical knowledge.
“Sometimes someone builds a breakwater without considering the coastal process and ends up affecting other areas of the coast,” Moreno explained.
In this context, strengthening technical knowledge remains at the core of AMIP’s mission. The association maintains ties with international organizations such as PIANC – the World Association for Shipping Infrastructure – and promotes conferences, courses, and technical publications.
However, Moreno himself acknowledged that the organization faces a generational challenge . Many of its members have decades of experience, making it urgent to bring in new generations of engineers.
“One of my goals is to rejuvenate the association and motivate young people to continue its work,” he said.
Added to that goal is another priority that he considers inseparable from the future of the port: to build greater environmental awareness within maritime engineering .
Because after six decades of history, AMIP continues to uphold the same founding principle that motivated that group of young engineers who created it: to use technical knowledge to improve the planning, construction and conservation of the country’s maritime infrastructure .
An objective that, in the words of its president, remains as relevant as it was 60 years ago: to contribute knowledge so that maritime works and waterways contribute to the economic development of Mexico .
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