The second edition of ETYL Cali-Baja (Transportation and Logistics Meeting) will take place on May 14th. This region, comprised of San Diego and Imperial counties in the United States and Baja California in Mexico, has established itself as one of the most dynamic economic and logistics corridors in North America . Its location and industrial focus position it as a strategic area for cross-border trade and the ongoing reconfiguration of the region’s supply chains .

Data from the US Census Bureau indicates that in 2025, trade between the United States and Mexico reached a new milestone, with $872.834 billion in merchandise exchange , representing a 3.9% increase compared to 2024. Much of this trade was transported by land, across the border between California and Baja California.

In that context, the second edition of ETYL Cali-Baja 2026 , a forum organized by Grupo T21 , will bring together industry leaders and nearly 200 attendees at the Real Inn Hotel in Tijuana .

During the event, industry specialists will analyze the challenges and opportunities in the binational logistics context and its impact on supply chains, through four panels and a networking session  to share success stories in transport, logistics and industry, with the aim of boosting competitiveness and innovation in the region.

The ETYL Cali-Baja 2026 program presents a robust and diverse agenda, with panels on current logistics, such as the one on Logistics Chains that are Redefining Cali-Baja , which will address the industries that are generating the real logistics demand: aerospace, electronics, medical devices and specialized manufacturing.

Factors such as specialized manufacturing in Mexico and research activities, as well as high-tech development and services in San Diego, have triggered a highly integrated binational ecosystem, according to the Binational Trade & Competitiveness Report 2025, prepared by the  World Trade Center San Diego .

In the panel “Challenges and Opportunities of Maritime and Port Connectivity ,” specialists will discuss how the growth of maritime trade has enabled the development of new infrastructure and improved process efficiency. They will also talk about the modernization of the Port of Ensenada, Baja California, which in 2025 handled 427,499 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units), placing it fifth in the National Port System .

This port is relevant to binational trade, as a gateway to the industrial and production zones of the United States.

Key issues for improved cross-border logistics will be another panel at ETYL Cali-Baja 2026. It will address how the growth of bilateral trade has put pressure on border crossings, where peaks of more than 4,700 trucks are recorded in a single day between Tijuana and San Diego.

The infrastructure challenges at the Mexicali-Calexico crossing will also be discussed, as well as the progress being made in incorporating new infrastructure at Otay Mesa East .

According to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) , the Otay-Tijuana border crossing is the second most important in trade with Mexico, which in 2025 totaled $59,978 million, with trucking being the main mode of exchange.

Machinery, parts and electrical equipment, together with vehicles, represent 40% of trade in this region.

According to studies by the  San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) , it is projected that once fully completed, the aforementioned border crossing will reduce waiting times by up to 50% on average, which could generate a significant increase in the value of regional bilateral trade .

In the panel Customs, compliance and risks at increasingly demanding borders , specialists will discuss the new legal framework for foreign trade operations with new rules on security, documentation, inspection, traceability and risk management.

This issue takes on relevance within the framework of the new Customs Law, which came into force on January 1, 2026, among whose changes is the  strengthening of the Electronic Customs System  as the axis of all operations.

For more information about the ETYL Cali-Baja, you can visit  https://baja.etylmx.com/ .

Given this scenario, Tijuana’s manufacturing industry seeks to strengthen the Cali-Baja area to attract and retain investment, especially for the advanced manufacturing industry.

In that sense, the United States and Mexico share this region, which has its own commercial dynamics and particular activity, so it is necessary to take care of it and continue to make it grow.

“It is a region that cannot be understood in any other way than through a joint dynamic. It is two countries in a single region,” highlighted Alonso Ibarra Arellano, president of the  National Chamber of the Transformation Industry (Canacintra) Tijuana .

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Port Laredo was recognized with two Platinum awards at the 2025 MarCom Awards , the highest distinction in creativity and communication internationally, thanks to its “Hot City–Cold Chain” campaign , an initiative that positions the inland port of Laredo as a leader in cold chain logistics in North America.

“This campaign is not just creative, it’s strategic. It communicates to the world that Port Laredo can handle temperature-sensitive products with the same reliability as a seaport,” highlighted Felipe G. Romero , Marketing Manager of Port Laredo.

Launched amid a municipal budget moratorium , the campaign successfully amplified the port’s importance in refrigerated and temperature-controlled trade. According to Trade Numbers data , trade in perishable goods through Port Laredo reached $11.25 billion in 2024, an 8.28% increase over the previous year.

During 2025, from January to July:

• Avocado imports increased 33.67%, with an additional value of $228.85 million.
• The port consolidated its position as the national leader in pork exports , accounting for 18.5% of the total for the United States and an accumulated growth of 70% since 2021, reaching $677.61 million.
• It also ranked first in frozen vegetable imports , with 30.82% of the national total, more than double the share of any other US port.

The campaign included bilingual messages, binational digital advertising, editorial materials, and strategic pieces for trade shows, investors, and executive presentations , strengthening Port Laredo’s presence in international forums.

“Laredo’s success is based on binational collaboration. Every container, truck, and shipment that crosses our bridges represents jobs, opportunities, and shared prosperity,” said Mayor Victor D. Treviño , noting that this recognition reaffirms Port Laredo as the gateway to the Western Hemisphere .

The MarCom Awards are one of the most prestigious competitions in the field of marketing and communications, receiving over 6,500 entries annually from more than 40 countries . With its two Platinum awards, Port Laredo joins this elite group of brands distinguished by their creative and strategic excellence .

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Despite the trade tensions prevailing worldwide due to tariff policy, total trade in goods between Mexico and the United States amounted to $74.357 billion during July 2025 , according to data from the United States Department of Commerce , confirming Mexico as the main trading partner of the American Union. 

Last July, the United States granted Mexico a new 90-day extension to impose a general 30% tariff on Mexican products, which would take effect on August 1 of this year , giving the Mexican government some breathing space to continue negotiations. However, tariffs on strategic sectors such as the 25% tariff on automotive products, as well as 50% on steel, aluminum, and copper, remain in effect.

According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, trade volume between Mexico and its northern neighbor surpassed that of other key partners. Canada registered trade of $58.27 billion . In the case of China, trade with the United States was $35.71 billion .

In the seventh month of the year, Mexican exports to the United States totaled $45.366 billion, representing an 8.2% increase compared to the same period last year , when $41.909 billion were recorded. This figure not only demonstrates the strength of Mexican exports, but also surpassed exports from Canada, which reached $32.172 billion, and from China, which reached $26.411 billion during the same period.

Meanwhile, U.S. sales of goods to Mexico totaled $28.99 billion , a 1% increase from $28.69 billion in July 2024. By comparison, Canada imported $26.097 billion in goods to the United States, and China imported just $9.298 billion.

Mexico’s trade balance showed a surplus of $16.375 billion last July , reflecting the country’s role as one of the main exporters to the U.S. economy.

Despite tensions with the United States over tariffs, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum emphasized in her First State of the Union address , presented on September 1, that the country has managed to consolidate a relationship of mutual respect with the United States.

In the run-up to the next revision of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) , scheduled for July 2026, a trade reconfiguration in North America will be determined, as well as strategies to strengthen the relationship between the partner countries of this trilateral agreement.

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SAN JOSÉ CHIAPA, PUE.- After global supply chains were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic , the logistics sector sees a promising outlook in which the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and sustainable models by companies will help make processes and delivery times in North America more efficient and at a lower cost and, even, more environmentally friendly .

But what are the routes being explored in this industry in the face of new challenges? The use of technology, as well as electric vehicles , and the automation of processes are some of the factors that companies have begun to adopt to become more sustainable and viable .

Within the framework of the 12th International Congress on Logistics and Supply Chain (CiLOG) , which is taking place in Laredo, Texas, United States, with alternate venues in Cartagena, Colombia and simultaneously in Puebla, Mexico; Daniel Covarrubias, president of the CiLOG 2024 organizing committee, said that Texas is positioning itself as one of the states of the American Union where companies could relocate ( nearshoring ).

Through a broadcast from Texas A&M International University , he assured that this is because said entity is close to the border with Mexico , which is why there are many people who seek to take advantage of this business opportunity.

The panel Shaping the Future of Logistics in North America also addressed the automation of the logistics process, where the use of technology plays a relevant role, in order to make the administrative and operational part of the supply chains more efficient .

One of the impacts of using technology in logistics is the growth of transportation.

In this regard, Covarrubias said that companies are analyzing other aspects of transportation that crosses goods from Mexico to the United States .

Following the inauguration of the forum at the Laredo, Texas headquarters, led by Gerald “Gerry” Schwebel, president of CiLOG 2024, the idea of ​​having smart binational communities was raised , in order to understand the border context in which supply and logistics chains are developed, understanding the social and cultural context of each country.

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