Cosco Shipping Lines ‘ commitment to Mexico isn’t temporary, it’s strategic. This was stated by Mateo Cepeda, Senior Sales and Export Manager at Cosco Shipping Lines Mexico, when he described in an interview with T21 the deployment of maritime services the Chinese shipping company has implemented to consolidate its position in the Mexican Pacific.
“We want to express our confidence in the Mexican market , and we also want to express our strong confidence in the ports of Ensenada, Manzanillo, and Lázaro Cárdenas,” he stated.
Its reading is not minor: in a complex global environment and with practically zero growth in maritime trade in Mexico during 2025, Cosco Shipping has decided to strengthen its presence with a strategy that combines port expansion, logistics integration and digitalization .
One of the pillars of this strategy is the recent launch of the WSA8 service , which made its first call in Ensenada on September 19, after departing from Shanghai earlier that month. This new route directly connects Ensenada and Manzanillo with Qingdao, Shanghai, and Yokohama, opening a double logistics window to Asia.
“With this service, Cosco Shipping Lines would now have two dedicated services calling at the port of Ensenada , which for us has always been a very important and strategic port. We see that demand continues to be quite strong and sometimes there isn’t enough service coverage overall,” Cepeda explained. Contrary to other shipping lines that have reduced calls at this port, Cosco is doubling down on its commitment with two monthly departures on the WSA8, adjusting the frequency according to market reaction.
This expansion occurs at a time of marginal growth in port traffic in Mexico. Between January and August of this year, ports handled a total of 6,227,565 20-foot containers (TEU) in deep-sea services (imports and exports) , reflecting an annual growth rate of just 1.1%, according to statistics from the General Coordination of Ports and Merchant Marine (CGPMM) .
Specifically, in the reference period, the Pacific ports totaled four million 602 thousand 837 TEUs (+1.8%), while in the Caribbean Gulf they accumulated one million 624 thousand 728 TEUs (-0.8%).
Even so, the company maintains a long-term strategy supported by two key services: the new WSA8 and the reconfiguration of WSA5 . The latter, originally launched in 2024, expanded its rotation in 2025 to include the ports of Chancay (Peru), Guayaquil (Ecuador), and Buenaventura (Colombia), in addition to Ensenada, Manzanillo, and Lázaro Cárdenas.
“Over the last two years, we’ve strengthened our offering with two new services, the WSA5 and WSA8, increasing capacity at the three main ports on the Mexican Pacific coast,” Cepeda emphasized.
The strengthening of maritime services is accompanied by a comprehensive logistics vision. Cepeda emphasized that Cosco Shipping’s future in Mexico is not limited to ports, but is moving toward an end -to-end offering. “It is not possible to consolidate a strong product in the Mexican market if you don’t offer land service,” he stated. The company has begun developing door-to-door deliveries throughout the country, supported by land operations. This integration responds to a clear objective: to articulate more resilient supply chains that connect Mexico with any part of the world , while strengthening its role as a regional platform for cargo redistribution to Central America and the Caribbean.
In parallel, Cosco Shipping has opted to digitize key processes to gain efficiency. The company implemented the GSBN (Global Shipment Business Network) system globally , including at the ports of Ensenada, Manzanillo, and Lázaro Cárdenas. This blockchain – based platform allows all stakeholders involved in document validation to have immediate visibility, eliminating downtime and blind spots. “Previously, if the customs broker sent a document to the shipping company, the terminal wouldn’t see it. With GSBN, we achieved immediate visibility for all parties and have reduced processing times,” Cepeda explained.
This digitalization coexists with a personalized service approach: “We have global clients who demand that service be personalized rather than artificial intelligence. We have local teams in Ensenada serving clients in the Northwest in real time,” he emphasized.
Cosco Shipping’s strategy also responds to Mexico’s geography and economic structure. The country combines manufacturing, raw materials, and perishable goods, in addition to a prime location as a transshipment point. A large portion of the flow of goods destined for Central America passes through Mexican ports, in a market that, according to Cepeda, has more potential than is currently being exploited . This regional vision is complemented by its commitment to the port of Chancay, Peru, which Cosco operates directly and envisions as a hub for connecting with Chile and Ecuador, creating a Pacific corridor linking Asia with Latin America through Mexico and South America.
In terms of trade, China remains Mexico’s main maritime source , and Cosco doesn’t foresee radical changes in flows despite possible geopolitical adjustments. “The vast majority of raw materials for Mexican manufacturing come from the Far East: China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam,” he indicated.
The key, he stated, will be to maintain the transit times required for just-in-time production in an environment where congestion remains a challenge. To achieve this, he highlights recent port investments: “We see new cranes in different ports. All the terminals are expanding their equipment, and this will allow for continued growth in operational capacity and efficiency in the Mexican Pacific.”
Nearly a decade after opening its own agency in Mexico, Cosco Shipping Lines has climbed its position to become one of the top five shipping lines in the main Pacific ports. Its strategy —anchored in exclusive services, logistics integration, technological innovation, and regional vision— seeks to take advantage of the structural potential of the Mexican market beyond economic cycles. “Our plan for the next five years is to continue this growth. Despite the economic uncertainty that may arise, the Mexican market has potential that must continue to be exploited,” Cepeda concluded.
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