The drop in imported steel and trade uncertainty have not stopped Hazesa ‘s commitment to Manzanillo: the company is preparing a third berth with an investment of 500 million pesos (mdp) to expand its capacity and handle new flows of goods in the port of Colima.
The project includes a 290-meter-long pier that could add at least one million tons to the terminal’s annual capacity, an increase of approximately 38%, explains Raúl Sandoval, CEO of Grupo Hazesa, in an interview with T21. Completion is scheduled for December 2027.
The third berth originated from a 100-meter space that became available after the expansion of the second berth. Subsequently, the company was allocated an adjacent area by the National Port System Administration (Asipona) Manzanillo to develop the project.
The 500 million pesos will be primarily allocated to piling, sheet piling, and dredging . Sandoval explains that the containment structure will be installed first to protect the land area, and then the dock face, where there is currently a draft of about 6 meters, will be deepened.
The intention is to reach a depth of 16 meters and have an official draft of 15 meters, with a safety margin of one meter. This position will allow for servicing larger vessels, including Capesize bulk carriers, although its use will depend on cargo volume and customer demand.
“The value of terminals lies in their ability to create this interface between the ship and land transport,” Sandoval points out.
The executive maintained that an additional berth could also alleviate waiting times during peak seasons, such as the fertilizer season. During this period, arrivals are concentrated in just a few weeks, and rain disrupts operations, leading to queues of ships and costs that are ultimately passed on to the recipients of the goods.
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