The Average Port Transportation Time Indicator (ITPAP) recorded a national average of 8.7 decimal hours for the collection of imported goods in September 2025, considering the ports of Manzanillo, Lázaro Cárdenas, Altamira, and Veracruz , based on an analysis of 2,713 transportation movements. The monthly variation was 1.16%, a stagnation that contrasts with the strong fluctuations that continue at each port.
In a context where logistics competitiveness defines a country’s ability to sustain its foreign trade, the numbers show that efficiency is not advancing at the speed demanded by global chains. The clock remains a ruthless judge: long lead times imply high costs .
Altamira: the best performance of the month
Altamira recorded the greatest advance among the four enclaves: 7.2 decimal hours , an improvement of -12.2% compared to the previous month.
The double-digit drop is a welcome relief after months of significant ups and downs. The question is whether the improvement will be sustainable or merely a response to temporary fluctuations.
Lázaro Cárdenas: the clock is ticking
Lázaro Cárdenas’ performance worsened, with 11.9 decimal hours and a monthly increase of 5.3%.
The Michoacán port once again lags behind the rest of the system, due to its infrastructure and processes—although robust for industrial cargo—showing weaknesses in land operations and customs clearance times.
Manzanillo extends its opening hours
Manzanillo averaged 8.5 decimal hours , an increase of 8.9% monthly.
Mexico’s largest port remains far from meeting standards compatible with the scale of its flows and the demands of nearshoring . Shorter turnaround time means higher turnover… and trade is grateful.
Veracruz: slight progress
With 7.0 decimal hours and a -2.8% improvement, Veracruz remains one of the most stable ports in the country.
However, its progress was the most modest of the month . Stability is good, but in the current environment, if you don’t accelerate, you’ll be left behind.
A system that improves… without accelerating
The results leave a clear interpretation: Mexican ports are improving, but slowly. While Altamira shows signs of operational reorganization, Manzanillo and Lázaro Cárdenas are becoming the main focus of attention due to their increasing turnaround times . Veracruz, meanwhile, is navigating accurately, although lacking the necessary momentum to make a difference.
In a global trade where every minute costs and every hour hurts, port efficiency must be a national priority. It’s not just about numbers: the country’s competitiveness is what matters through these access points .
ITPAP reminds us month after month: an efficient port is not one that moves the most ships, but one that clears each shipment the fastest.
The ITPAP, developed by T21 Business Intelligence (T21 BI), gathers monthly information provided by trucking companies and GPS vehicle tracking companies . It focuses on the average dwell time of tractor-trailers, broken down into three critical categories during the cargo collection process: maneuvering, waiting, and customs.
From January to September of this year, Mexican ports handled just over 89.9 million tons of imported goods , representing a decrease of 8.7% compared to the same period last year. The four ports analyzed by the ITPAP alone handled 64.7% of the total imported cargo for the reference period, according to data from the General Coordination of Ports and Merchant Marine (CGPMM) .
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