Logistics costs in Mexico have ceased to be an operational issue and have become a structural problem affecting the country’s competitiveness, according to Javier Cendejas Meneses, president of the Mexican Business Council for Foreign Trade, Investment and Technology (Comce) Northeast chapter . He explained that while internationally logistics costs range between 5% and 35% of revenue, in Mexico they can reach up to 60% of sales .
“This is not just another expense. It is a factor that defines the very viability of competing in global markets,” he noted while presenting a diagnosis of the challenges facing Mexican foreign trade.
According to the analysis presented by the business organization, the transportation structure in Mexico reflects imbalances. 69% of exports and 46.7% of imports are transported by road , while ports handle 33% of imports.
However, these flows are not symmetrical. “Trucks leave full and return empty. Ships arrive loaded and leave with less volume. There is a clear inefficiency that we must correct,” Cendejas warned.
The diagnosis revealed a sustained deterioration in logistics-related costs. Between 2015 and 2025, transportation and storage costs increased by 72% , according to the National Producer Price Index (INPP) of the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi) .
“This is compounded by the 48.8% increase in fuel prices in recent years, as well as the accumulated impact of tolls, transportation services and other indirect costs,” Cendejas Meneses noted.
He explained that shipping a container from Shanghai to Manzanillo costs around $3,312 and takes 16 days . In contrast, transporting it from Manzanillo to Monterrey can cost over $4,500 for a 30-hour journey. With tolls and delays, the total cost rises to approximately $8,585. “The problem isn’t the distance, but how we manage the final logistical leg within the country,” he explained.
“The underlying message is clear: Mexico has a historic opportunity to integrate itself with greater leadership into global value chains, but that opportunity will not materialize if logistics continues to be a bottleneck,” he warned.
For Comce Noreste, this link —which connects the ports with the industrial centers— has become the most vulnerable point in the chain.
According to the study, in 16 years Mexico only increased by 0.1 points and fell back 10 places in the World Bank ‘s logistics performance ranking .
Faced with this situation, Cendejas proposed strengthening investment in infrastructure, advancing the digitization of processes, consolidating logistics corridors, and developing safe rest stops for carriers .
“Logistics is not an add-on. It is the bridge between what we produce and the market. Making its cost more competitive is a strategic decision for Mexico’s economic development,” explained the president of Comce Noreste.
Cendejas called for improved transport planning, optimized packaging , advance customs documentation, and more efficient inventory management.
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