The Manzanillo Terminals and Operators Association (ASTOM) begins a new stage with the appointment of Manuel Fernández Pérez as president of the organization , at a time when the port of Manzanillo faces operational pressures derived from the dynamism of foreign trade and expansion projects that seek to maintain its leadership in the Mexican port system.

The arrival of Fernández Pérez, who also serves as CEO of SSA Marine Mexico , comes after a period of institutional consolidation for the association, which in recent years has sought to position itself as an articulating voice of the main terminal players and operators of the most important port in the country in container movement.

Within the port sector, expectations revolve around ASTOM’s ability to maintain an agenda focused on logistical competitiveness , operational coordination, and addressing the challenges facing Manzanillo, particularly regarding saturation, land mobility, infrastructure, and supply chain efficiency.

The association is also undergoing a change marked by the management of José Antonio Contreras Ruiz , CEO of Contecon Manzanillo , who led the organization for the last three years and participated in the process of forming and strengthening ASTOM as a representation of the terminal sector in Manzanillo.

During that period, the association gained visibility in discussions related to port capacity, coordination between authorities and operators, as well as the need to promote investments that allow responding to the sustained growth of cargo in the port of Colima.

The change in the presidency of ASTOM also coincides with a key stage for Manzanillo, where port expansion projects , operational modernization and greater efficiency demands from shipping lines, terminals and logistics users converge.

In this context, the organization’s leadership becomes relevant not only for the operators located in the port, but also for the articulation of strategies that allow the competitiveness of one of the most important logistics hubs for Mexican foreign trade to be sustained.

For the period January-April of this year, the port of Manzanillo has handled 1,352,970 twenty-foot containers (TEUs) in import, export and transshipment services, just 4.7% more than in the same period last year, according to official statistics from the port authority.

In terms of volume, the port handled 10 million 446 thousand 513 tons of goods in the first four months of the year – including petroleum products – reflecting an annual increase of 0.3 percent.

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El cargo Manuel Fernández assumes the presidency of ASTOM apareció primero en T21.

In the port of Manzanillo, where operational efficiency coexists with latent risks that rarely surface until an incident occurs, security has ceased to be an aspirational concept and has become a breaking point among the various stakeholders in the logistics community. The recent initiative by the Manzanillo Terminals and Operators Association (ASTOM) to implement a Terminal Security Course has not only sparked controversy over its potential cost, but has also revealed a deeper tension: who should assume the responsibility—and the cost—of professionalizing operations within one of the most critical hubs of Mexican foreign trade?

Behind the controversy, however, lies a less visible and more structural story. Juan Carlos Salas, head of the ASTOM Training Center , indicated in an interview with T21 that the project did not arise as an isolated measure, but as part of a process that began with the very formation of the association just three years ago, in a port that, paradoxically, lacked an organization to coordinate its terminals despite its national importance.

In this context, ASTOM was founded in May 2023 and is comprised of Contecon Manzanillo , SSA Marine México , Grupo Hazesa , TAP Terminal Portuaria , and Corporación Multimodal , consolidating for the first time a common voice among the port’s main operators (the only terminal that is not a member is Hutchison Ports TIMSA ). From there, the discussion shifted to the realm of human capital. “There is high demand and low supply of qualified people who understand ports ,” he explained, elaborating that traditional training “trains you for life, not for the port.”

This diagnosis led to the creation of the ASTOM Training Center, conceived as a platform to close specific gaps in the port environment. Under this logic, security emerged as the primary strategic focus , not only due to its operational nature but also because of its mandatory inclusion in concession agreements and the operating rules governing terminals. “Security is a non-negotiable value,” Salas stated, explaining that the course aims to ensure that anyone entering an ASTOM member terminal understands the minimum risks and protocols.

The problem is that, in practice, security is not uniform. Each terminal operated under its own criteria, creating a patchwork of protocols that complicated operations for carriers, customs brokers, and other frequent users. ASTOM’s goal was precisely to unify this standard. “If you went to one terminal, you had one protocol, and if you went to another, a different one. What we’re trying to do is align the criteria ,” he explained.

It was at this point that the initiative clashed with the reality of the port ecosystem. The initial announcement of a paid online course— proposed at 700 pesos— immediately sparked resistance from users, who interpreted the measure as a new charge in a chain already saturated with costs and delays. The reaction was significant: public questioning, pressure from associations, primarily those of transport companies, and a narrative that quickly framed the issue as an attempt by the terminals to monetize their operations.

Salas acknowledges that this moment marked a turning point. “When you say it costs 700 pesos, everyone says, ‘Why are they charging for it?’” he recounted, while defending the logic behind the original approach: “When something is free, people don’t value it.” However, faced with pressure, ASTOM adjusted the model to a hybrid approach: maintaining the paid online option, but opening a free in-person option to avoid excluding any users. In this latter case, the course consists of seven modules with 48 submodules distributed over five days, with three-hour sessions each day.

However, the debate was also influenced by the port authority’s stance. The National Port System Administration (Asipona) Manzanillo issued a statement on February 19 clarifying that it is not requiring any security course at the terminals as a mandatory condition for entry to the port area, thus establishing a key distinction between port access regulations and the internal measures that each terminal may implement.

The discussion, however, did not subside. On the contrary, it evolved into broader questions about the mandatory nature of the course . And it is here that the project reveals its most sensitive aspect: this is not optional training, but a requirement that could condition access to the terminals. “The course is mandatory… if you don’t have it, you won’t be able to enter,” Salas warned, explaining that the terminals are authorized to establish security measures as a condition of access, according to their specific concession agreement and even through port operating rules.

This point, far from being minor, redefines the port’s operational balance. In an environment where the flow of people—from heavy equipment operators to customs brokers—is constant, making training an access filter means shifting security from a reactive to a preventative approach. “Today we focus on correcting: if you violate a rule, I suspend you. What we want is prevention,” he noted .

ASTOM’s most recent decision—to offer the online course free of charge for three months—appears to respond not only to media pressure but also to the need to legitimize the initiative within the port community. The message is clear: the problem isn’t the cost, but rather its adoption. However, even with the temporary free access, resistance persists that goes beyond financial considerations . Some stakeholders have questioned the mandatory nature of the course itself, highlighting a recurring paradox in the sector: the importance of safety is acknowledged, but its institutionalization is resisted.

Ultimately, the controversy also exposes a structural deficiency. As Salas pointed out, most training programs in the logistics ecosystem focus on commercial issues —Incoterms, tariffs, costs —while security remains neglected. “No association offers a security course,” he emphasized, in a criticism that directly addresses the sector’s priorities.

The ASTOM case, then, transcends the discussion of a single course. What’s at stake is how the port of Manzanillo—and by extension, the Mexican port system—decides to manage its risks in a context of increasing operational pressure. Because while the public debate has focused on the 700 pesos that will no longer be charged (over a three-month period), the fundamental conversation remains unresolved: how to build a safety culture in an environment where operational urgency often takes precedence over prevention.

The answer won’t be immediate . ASTOM is still evaluating whether to extend deadlines, apply gradual warnings, or implement outright bans for those who don’t meet the requirement. But what is already clear is that any attempt to raise operating standards in Manzanillo will have to overcome not only technical challenges but also deeply rooted cultural resistance.

And in that area, security—like competitiveness—is not decreed: it is negotiated, explained, and, above all, built .

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El cargo Security in Manzanillo: the course that “ignited” the port apareció primero en T21.

SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE, GTO.- Captain Rodolfo Torres Chávez, head of the Manzanillo customs office , attended the ASTOM Summit 2025 to speak about the strengths and weaknesses of Mexico’s most important port to representatives of port terminals, freight forwarders, operators and shipping companies, delivering a speech full of figures, warnings and future projects . But beyond the technical rhetoric, he revealed a paradox that directly affects foreign trade: in Manzanillo, the costs of inefficiency are being paid by the just for the sinners.

Torres, who took office in May of this year, acknowledged what he had loudly denied for years: customs has a historical corruption problem . “Yes, we accept that there are opaque acts (…) there has been a high level of corruption in customs,” he confessed. His arrival in office, he said, sought to break with that modus operandi , but the solutions he has imposed have not been without consequences.

The strict inspection policy currently in place in Manzanillo responds to the detection of abusive practices such as the undervaluation of merchandise. “We have found severely undervalued containers,” he said. The result: more detained containers, more alerts, and more paperwork that clogs up the yards.

Added to this equation is a statistic that illustrates the magnitude of the problem: up to 300 units are subject to customs inspection every day , a disproportionate burden on the available infrastructure and the few inspectors on duty. The immediate effect is the saturation of yards and esplanades, where carriers must wait hours—if not days—for their goods to be inspected.

However, the measure indiscriminately affects all users. Compliant companies have had to face delays, extraordinary costs, and operating losses. As the captain himself acknowledged, “the innocent pay for the guilty ,” since the collective sanctions do not distinguish between tax evaders and those who fully comply with the tax authorities.

What he didn’t say: the blockades of the customs office itself

El cargo Port of Manzanillo, between excessive inspection and hidden customs costs apareció primero en T21.

SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE, GTO.- “Manzanillo has problems, but we are working on them .” With that phrase, José Antonio Contreras, president of the Manzanillo Terminals and Operators Association (ASTOM) , set the tone at the start of the ASTOM Summit 2025, held in this colorful colonial city. The forum, in its second annual edition, has brought together the business community linked to international trade that operates in the most dynamic port on the Mexican Pacific, with a special emphasis on imports from Asia.

Contreras didn’t shy away from reality. He acknowledged that the port has faced bottlenecks stemming from its own success: “Manzanillo has experienced extreme success in terms of volume, which has brought us challenges and problems.”

However, he emphasized that terminals and port operators continue to invest in infrastructure and equipment , and that the key has been coordinated work with authorities to overcome crises such as the recent customs emergency.

Last May, Manzanillo customs workers themselves blocked and closed the port entrances for several days, an internal protest that resulted in a significant operational paralysis. The impact was severe. More than 70 foreign trade officials abandoned their posts, which diminished the customs’ operational capacity and, consequently, stranded merchandise in an unprecedented situation, causing, above all, serious financial problems for the companies that use the port.

A narrative of leadership

The institutional video shown during the ASTOM meeting reinforced this narrative of resilience and leadership. With an aspirational tone, he emphasized that Manzanillo is Mexico’s number one port, consolidated over decades as the country’s main logistics hub. He highlighted its strategic location, its more than 400 hectares of surface area, its 20 berths, and its capacity to receive mega-ships up to 400 meters in length .

The audiovisual piece highlighted that more than 40% of the containers entering and leaving Mexico transit through its terminals and that it accounts for 70% of the imports arriving on the Pacific coast . It also showed that the port has more than 30 entry and exit gates and five kilometers of railway that connect it directly to the country’s industrial and consumer clusters.

The message also highlighted private investment: the business groups that make up ASTOM have allocated more than 35 billion pesos to provide Manzanillo with modern infrastructure, which currently includes 28 gantry cranes, 12 mobile cranes, 108 RTGs, 344 tractor-trailers, and more than 340 forklifts. Added to this is the human factor: a team with more than 35,000 direct and indirect jobs, operating 24/7 to ensure the continuity of the logistics chain.

The economic dimension was clear: Manzanillo is the port that contributes the most to the country in compensation, taxes, and customs revenue. Hence the emphasis on its growth as not just a local issue, but a key element that sustains national competitiveness. “We have an obligation to continue growing and improving ,” the official voice heard in the video.

Highway infrastructure: Colima’s vision

The governor of Colima, Indira Vizcaíno , present at the ASTOM event, brought the discussion to a key area: land connectivity, which has long been one of the weakest links in the operation of the port of Manzanillo and its surrounding areas . “We have called this entire series of investments in road infrastructure, totaling more than 20 billion pesos, a logistics corridor,” she explained.

The public and private projects include the expansion of the Tepalcates Bridge from two to six lanes, the modernization of the Armería-Manzanillo highway, a toll bypass that will reduce bottlenecks, and a new route for the dangerous stretch known as La Salada. He also highlighted the construction of the southern bypass to transport cargo away from the urban center of Manzanillo. “This will allow us to significantly streamline traffic and the container entry and exit process ,” he emphasized.

Vizcaíno contextualized these investments within a larger project: the expansion of the port to basin II of the Cuyutlán Lagoon, already announced as a six-year commitment. With this, port capacity could double or even triple. “What gives me satisfaction is seeing that the current vision is not only about solving problems, but also anticipating what will be needed when the expansion is completed,” he stated.

The USMCA on the port’s agenda

The backdrop for this discussion is international trade . José Antonio Contreras had already warned: “The market is moving in directions that none of us can determine… tariffs, yes, tariffs, tariffs on China? How will this affect us in Manzanillo?”

Trade uncertainty was a key factor in the discussions at the ASTOM Summit 2025, particularly in light of the upcoming revision of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) .

José Ignacio Aguado, Director General of Innovation, Services, and Domestic Trade at the Ministry of Economy , explained that the renegotiation cannot be improvised: “We don’t want to make unilateral decisions from behind a desk. You will be invited to participate in these decisions.”

He emphasized that on September 30, consultation tables will be set up with business leaders from the logistics sector , specifically to identify “what is hurting them, what we need, and what we should bring to the review table.”

The official recalled that Mexico has designed Plan Mexico , led by President Claudia Sheinbaum, whose operational arm is the economic corridors of well-being and development hubs . Logistics, he said, is the cross-cutting axis: “There is no economic activity that does not depend on logistics.” In that sense, Manzanillo is not just a port: it’s a barometer of how the country will face changes in trade rules with North America.

Indira Vizcaíno agreed that dialogue with the United States and Canada will be crucial. “The process of entering into the renegotiation of the USMCA must have many of us in a state of uncertainty, but I believe there is specific data that tells us that positive progress has been made,” she stated.

For Colima, the stability of this trade framework is crucial: a large portion of the cargo entering through Manzanillo ends up in manufacturing clusters that export to North America.

A narrative of continuity

The ASTOM Summit 2025 seeks to demonstrate that Manzanillo, despite congestion and geopolitical tensions, maintains a leading role. Contreras insisted that the 74% growth in imports from 2020 to date is unparalleled in the Latin American Pacific . Vizcaíno outlined how highways seek to support port expansion and mitigate externalities. Aguado, from the federation, placed logistics as the backbone of industrial policy and the future of the USMCA.

Beyond the numbers, the narrative of the meeting is driven by the idea of ​​anticipating things. “What’s important is what lies ahead,” Contreras summarized. With the port operating at full capacity and an expansion underway, the real challenge will be to articulate investments, roads, trade agreements, and sustainability into a single equation that will allow Manzanillo to continue being Mexico’s gateway to the world.

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El cargo Manzanillo: Challenges ahead, solutions underway apareció primero en T21.

The Association of Terminals and Operators of Manzanillo (ASTOM) and the Mexican Council of Foreign Trade of the West (COMCE de Occidente) signed a collaboration agreement aimed at promoting maritime foreign trade in the country , specifically in the western region. This agreement will be valid for two years, according to a statement shared by the institution. 

The agreement, signed by José Antonio Contreras, president of ASTOM, and Miguel Ángel Landeros Volquarts, president of the Board of Directors of COMCE de Occidente, establishes joint actions to promote the development of foreign trade and encourage foreign investment. 

Among the main objectives is the promotion of the port of Manzanillo as the main port in Mexico, seeking to optimize export and import activities that are key to the industrial node in the west of the country. 

During the signing ceremony, which was attended by Cindy Blanco, Secretary of Economic Development of Jalisco, and Mauro Garza, General Coordinator of the Economic Cabinet, the importance of strengthening ties between the port and commercial sectors was highlighted. 

According to the signatories, these synergies seek to strengthen maritime trade, which already shows indicators of sustained growth in the region. 

Since 2020, the Port of Manzanillo has seen steady growth in handling cargo for foreign trade, reaching an increase of 70 percent. 

This performance is supported by the modernization of customs procedures and the extension of customer service hours. 

The statement also highlights that the National Port System Administration (Asipona) , under the coordination of the Navy , is implementing operational improvements to increase port efficiency. 

According to the statement, Manzanillo has set three historic records in the movement of containerized cargo so far in 2024 and has received 1,438 merchant ships in the first ten months of the year. 

Among them, eight container ships of up to 390 meters in length, which operate in regular service, consolidating the port as a central hub for maritime trade. 

With this agreement, the companies seek to strengthen Mexico’s position in international maritime trade and enhance the economic impact in a strategic region for the country.

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El cargo ASTOM and COMCE Join Forces to Strengthen Maritime Foreign Trade apareció primero en T21.

The terminals and operators of the port of Manzanillo met this week with customs authorities from the central office in Mexico and the seaport authorities, where a new project was announced that is expected to make the evacuation of merchandise more efficient .

The Association of Terminals and Operators of Manzanillo (ASTOM) reported through a press release that it is about advance modulation , a project that has been worked on “during the last few months”, in coordination with the Port System Administration. National (Asipona) Manzanillo .

In customs terms, modulation refers to the process of submitting documentation to customs (pedimento) to begin the process of releasing the merchandise (customs clearance).

Admiral Felipe Solano Armenta, general director of Customs Operations of the National Customs Agency of Mexico (ANAM) , indicated during the meeting with ASTOM and Asipona Manzanillo authorities that the joint work between all actors “has been very positive and productive.” , in addition to all the implications that this new model of evacuation of goods from the terminals will have have been reviewed.

The ASTOM statement does not refer to what the operational expectation would be in reducing cargo evacuation times at the port with the use of advance modulation. Likewise, it is not clear if the pilot tests of said project have already begun or will do so until next August, since both information is handled.

T21, in collaboration with transport companies and GPS companies that facilitated access to their information, has published that a motor transport unit spends most of the time during the entire process of receiving a container in the seaports of Mexico precisely in activities carried out in customs .

In the specific case of the port of Manzanillo, the average time in customs was two hours 16 minutes and 46 seconds last May.

In turn, José Antonio Contreras, president of ASTOM and general director of Contecon Manzanillo , stated that this is a very important achievement for the Mexican trade and logistics chain, since the early modulation will represent a substantial improvement in the processes and will increase considerably the processes of unloading goods.

At the end of the first half of 2024, the four terminals of the port of Manzanillo that handle containers have added a total of one million 935 thousand 710 20-foot containers (TEU) , 11.5% higher than that registered in the same period last year, according to data from Asipona Manzanillo.

This port has positioned itself over the years as the main recipient of containerized goods on the Mexican Pacific coast , coming mainly from the Far East.

The ASTOM statement also stated that the head of the ANAM, General André Foullon, carried out a supervision tour of various terminals in order to verify the investments made in the port facilities and the operation of the new equipment in customs , whose Service hours have been extended since June.

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El cargo THE NEW “ACE UP THE SLEEVE” OF THE PORT OF MANZANILLO apareció primero en T21.

In May of this year, the port of Manzanillo recorded the second largest movement of TEUs (20-foot containers) in its history.

Data from the Manzanillo National Port System Administration (Asipona) indicate that during the fifth month of the current year, 333,727 TEUs were handled (in import, export and transshipment services),  a figure only behind the best record that was located in April of this same year with 340 thousand 409 TEU.

Terminals specializing in container handling have also seen significant increases during the first five months of this year.

Terminals specializing in container handling have also seen significant increases during the first five months of this year.

Likewise, in the accumulated January-May 2024, the port accounts for the movement of one million 606 thousand 682 TEU, an upward variation of 12.9% compared to the same period last year.

The port of Manzanillo, the largest high-altitude commercial port on the Mexican Pacific coast, has been impacted by increased commercial exchange with countries in the Southeast Asian region, mainly with China.

Regarding the movement of goods, the port exceeded three million 108 thousand 115 tons in May for the first time ; while in the January-May period the operation of 14 million 256 thousand 839 tons was recorded, 5% higher than the same cycle last year.

In the first five months of 2024, a total of 474 ships have carried out services in the port , 47 less than in the same period of 2023, since shipping lines have rather sent larger vessels, for example, the CMA CGM Alexander Von Humboldt, 396 meters long, the largest ship that has ever regularly covered a route to any destination in Mexico, and the CMA CGM Marco Polo, of the same length, which arrived on May 26.

“It is more profitable for shipping lines to use fewer vessels to move more cargo because it allows them to increase their profitability per trip and increase their cargo volumes to satisfy the ever-increasing requirements of the supply chains of the processing industry.” , indicated the Association of Manzanillo Terminals and Operators (ASTOM) through a press release.

Likewise, he recalled that as of June 2024, the port customs expanded its operating hours , which now cover 24 hours, from Monday to Sunday, for export activities, and from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. from Monday to Friday for imports. , “which will allow greater evacuation of commercial cargo and considerably reduce waiting times.”

The growing operation of merchandise through the port of Manzanillo has also driven a greater number of truck entries during the January-May period of this year, compared to the same cycle in previous years.

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El cargo Manzanillo Port Records Second Largest Operation in Its History This May apareció primero en T21.

It wasn’t for April or May. The opening of the north access to the port of Manzanillo has been postponed until July of this year, a roadway eagerly anticipated by the port community due to the collapses experienced by this maritime hub in its only land access for road transport in the southern area.

“It will be ready in July, according to the latest information. It is a key point that will completely change the reality of Manzanillo in terms of the challenge we face with access, both for the entry and exit of containers and trucks,” said José Antonio Contreras, CEO of the Association of Terminals and Operators Manzanillo (ASTOM), in an interview with T21.

The postponement of the opening of the north access comes at a time when the port of Manzanillo has seen substantial increases in operations, resulting in a higher demand for trucks for the unloading or reception of containers.

According to port authorities, Manzanillo receives between four thousand and five thousand trucks daily.

In just the first quarter of this year, the Colima port has received a total of 958,271 twenty-foot containers (TEU), an increase of 17.8% compared to the same period a year earlier, according to data from the General Coordination of Ports and Merchant Marine (CGPMM).

This increase has occurred in both operational pathways, meaning that imports at the port have handled 399,704 TEUs (+19.3%), while exports total 393,332 TEUs (+19.2%).

José Antonio Contreras believes that this upward trend is due to the decentralization of production globally, which has led to the industrial trend of nearshoring (relocation of production lines) alongside the arrival of more companies to the country; as well as an increase in domestic consumption, where there is also a greater purchase of vehicles and, consequently, their importation.

In the latter case, although the port of Manzanillo is not known for handling new automobiles, during the first quarter, it registered 1,039 units of imports, 64.4% more than in the same period last year, all of which have disembarked in containers, reflecting a new trend in the maritime world.

The CEO of Contecon Manzanillo also mentioned that the port has been preparing to handle the increase in the volume of containerized goods, both through private investments by each terminal to increase their operational infrastructure, as well as actions taken by port authorities.

In this regard, Contreras highlighted that recently, the customs office in Manzanillo has installed two new inspection units in the northern area. Additionally, he mentioned that in the last semester, ASTOM has been in talks with customs authorities to improve the evacuation of containers.

“In 2020, no one thought we would be at these activity levels, and this has brought challenges both internally at the terminals and externally, affecting the entire logistics chain. The solution is to increase the capacity of access routes to the terminals, which is underway. The other solution is to increase the use of the railway, considering that approximately 90% of the cargo bound for Monterrey from Manzanillo travels by road,” he said.

Upcoming Projects

José Antonio Contreras mentioned that among the projects currently being worked on by ASTOM is the establishment of a port training and education center, in collaboration with the United Nations, aimed at the professionalization and ongoing education of individuals already working or potentially working at the port of Manzanillo.

“It is an extremely ambitious project that is on schedule,” he said.

He also revealed that ASTOM will hold an event next November where the voices of the port community can come together to discuss the needs and proposals that will lead to improvements for the port of Manzanillo.

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El cargo Opening of the North Access at Manzanillo Port Delayed Until July apareció primero en T21.