Mazatlán seeks to reposition itself on the country’s logistics map with a strategy that combines private vision, territorial ambition, and an attempt to reconfigure the connectivity of the northwest corridor. In this environment emerges Mazatlán Logistics Center (MLC) , a development driven by Grupo ARHE that aspires to become a world-class logistics and industrial park and, according to its Chairman of the Board, Juan José Arellano Hernández, intends to function as the “entry and exit point of the northern economic corridor.” This statement summarizes a broader narrative: to transform Mazatlán into a new strategic hub for nearshoring and industrial relocation, which is putting pressure on Mexico from the Pacific
The project stems from an atypical feature in the region: the availability of a 197-hectare land reserve integrated into a master plan extending to 2030. In a country where urban improvisation often prevails over planning, MLC champions the idea of orderly development , with industrial areas located away from the urban sprawl and with direct connectivity to major highways. Arellano, in an interview with T21, described it as an ecosystem designed to reduce logistical frictions and offer “safe industrial spaces that currently don’t exist in either the city or the port.”
The first phase, recently inaugurated by the Sinaloa government, reveals the scale of the project: an authorized Strategic Fiscal Zone (RFE) of 6.7 hectares—expandable to 23—a two-way return bridge, a 20 MVA substation, a natural gas network, and concrete roads. This is not just physical infrastructure, but a platform designed to integrate with maritime and road traffic. Connectivity with the port, the Mazatlán-Durango highway, and the Mazatlán-Matamoros superhighway would allow the Pacific coast to be linked to Altamira in less than 12 hours, a key logistical promise for attracting light industry, manufacturing, and warehousing and distribution companies.
Unlike other hubs in the Bajío region or western Mexico, MLC is trying to capitalize on a geographical advantage that the country has overlooked: Mazatlán’s position facing Asia and its proximity to the southern United States. Arellano’s message is clear: MLC doesn’t want to compete with other ports, but rather offer a viable alternative to the saturation and high operating costs of traditional shipping routes. With the country increasingly focused on nearshoring , the project claims it can offer certainty, speed, and cost savings to industries seeking to relocate operations.
The project also recognizes that competitiveness is not defined solely by infrastructure. Therefore, MLC already has training programs in place with educational institutions and business chambers to develop logistics and foreign trade talent. Furthermore, it incorporates environmental criteria such as solar energy for lighting, a wastewater treatment plant with a biodigester, and wildlife conservation areas—elements that respond to the growing ESG demands of global investment.
However, the project’s sustainability is not without risks. Arellano pointed out one in detail: the lack of modernization of the port of Mazatlán, whose strategic importance has not been addressed with the seriousness demanded by the growth of the Mexican Pacific coast. The country, he said, faces a structural lag that could hinder development potential if it is not accompanied by a port upgrade commensurate with nearshoring .
Despite this, Grupo ARHE projects accelerated growth. Phase 2, covering 60 hectares, is slated for completion in 2027; Phase 3, covering 54 hectares, for 2029. By 2030, the complete development aims to house more than 60 companies, generate approximately 20,000 direct and indirect jobs, and transform Mazatlán into an emerging logistics hub for the country. The narrative is ambitious, but it aligns with an undeniable reality: Mexico needs new logistics centers to alleviate pressure on the capital and reshape routes to North America.
Whether MLC will succeed in transforming itself into this new hub will depend as much on its ability to attract investment as on its skill in integrating into an environment where dispatch times, customs efficiency, and traceability define competitiveness. But the intention is clear: Mazatlán wants to move beyond being just a tourist destination and become a key point in the Mexican logistics chain, and MLC is positioned as the most determined bet to achieve this.
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