Mexico’s ports started 2026 on the “right foot”, moving 797,906 twenty-foot containers (TEUs) , which meant an 8.8% increase compared to January 2025, according to figures from the Secretariat of the Navy (Semar) .

An analysis by  T21 Business Intelligence showed that Lázaro Cárdenas, in Michoacán, handled 235,103 TEUs during the first month of this year, 21.8% more than in January 2026, while the port of Veracruz moved 93,032 TEUs , representing an increase of 13.8% in the period.

Manzanillo, in Colima , was the port that registered the most container movement at the beginning of 2026, with a total of 354,534 TEUs, an increase of 7.8% compared to the same cycle of 2025.

In contrast, Altamira, in Tamaulipas, continued its downward trend . In January 2026, it handled 63,374 TEUs, representing a 9.3% drop compared to January 2025, marking two consecutive months of decline.

Smaller ports also saw significant variations in January 2026 compared to the same month in 2025. Guaymas, in Sonora, reported a 95.3% increase with 1,586 TEUs handled during the period. Mazatlán, in Sinaloa, experienced a 35.1% decrease with 2,284 TEUs handled.

Regarding participation in the first month of 2026, Manzanillo accounted for 44.43% of the total movement of 20-foot containers ; Lázaro Cárdenas had 29.46%, Veracruz 11.66%, and Altamira 7.94 percent.

Faced with less than encouraging growth forecasts, Mexico’s main ports are emerging as key points to sustain the country’s competitiveness.

In that context, 2026 presents a mixed economic outlook for Mexico: while the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit (SHCP) projected a growth of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of between 1.8% and 2.8%, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) forecasts an expansion of 1.4% for the Mexican economy.

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El cargo Mexican ports start 2026 with an increase in TEU movement apareció primero en T21.

Based on the Global Indicator of Economic Activity (IGAE) of the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi) , last September this index registered a slowdown, settling at 104.2 points, down from 104.9 in the previous August , which is the second best of the year, only below April 2025 with 105.0 points

The behavior shown by the IGAE is reflected in the movement of containers through the National Port System, according to statistics shared by the General Coordination of Ports and Merchant Marine (CGPMM) .

An analysis by T21 Business Intelligence identified that last October there was a drop in the movement of 20-foot containers (TEUs), settling at 804,045, a figure 3% lower than the 828,512 that had been reached in the previous September.

According to CGPMM data, the highest container movement so far this year was reached in August 2025 , with 850,841 TEUs, which coincides with IGAE data.

The cumulative record for container movement in 2025 through October was 7,930,438 TEUs , a figure 2.2% higher than the 7,760,549 TEUs achieved in the same period of 2024.

The behavior of the National Port System is influenced by the main ports, where Manzanillo has a drop in the accumulated total, but Lázaro Cárdenas registered growth close to double digits.

In the review for each port, Manzanillo remains the main port in the country in the movement of containers, reaching last October its second best level of 2025, with 343,154 TEU .

In the accumulated period January–October 2025, Manzanillo totaled three million 223 thousand 363 TEUs , a drop of 0.9% compared to the 2024 record, as shown in the following graph.

As for Lázaro Cárdenas, although the October record of 209,019 TEUs is far from its best record of the year, the accumulated total of 2,161,847 TEUs showed an 8.7% growth compared to the same period in 2024, according to figures collected by T21 Business Intelligence of the CGPMM.

On the Gulf of Mexico coast, the port of Veracruz is the busiest in terms of container traffic, handling 115,326 TEUs last October . This is the third best record for the Veracruz port in 2025.

In cumulative figures to October 2025, Veracruz totaled 1,076,956 TEUs , which was 0.7% lower than the 2024 figure, when it stood at 1,084,291 TEUs.

Here we show the results by port in the monthly movement of containers for both 2024 and 2025.

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El cargo Container movement links second period with contraction apareció primero en T21.

In an analysis by T21 Business Intelligence , reviewing the monthly performance of ports on the Mexican coasts, it was identified that 850,841 TEUs were operated last August , which meant the best record of 2025, surpassing that of last July, where 804,943 TEUs had been operated.

According to Semar data, Manzanillo , the main port for handling containers, registered its best figure of the year in the eighth month of 2025 with 346,249 TEUs , surpassing that of March 2025, when 337,670 containers were reported.

The volume handled by the Port of Manzanillo last August represented a 2.9% increase compared to the same cycle in 2024.

In the case of the port of Lázaro Cárdenas , in the eighth month of the year it achieved a total of 235,656 TEUs , reaching its second best record of 2025, only behind last June, when 242,012 containers were operated.

Lázaro Cárdenas’ August performance was 0.5% below the same period in 2024 .

In the case of the Gulf of Mexico coast, the ports of Veracruz and Altamira dominate the share, handling 112,232 and 78,634 TEUs, respectively .

The records obtained by these ports represented a performance of -1.6% and 6.2%, respectively, compared to August 2024.

In the eighth month of the year, the container volume handled by Manzanillo represented 40% of the national total, followed by Lázaro Cárdenas with 27.7%, Veracruz with 13.2%, Altamira with 9.2%, and Ensenada with 4.6%.

Based on timely data from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) on the trade balance, in August 2025 Mexico’s foreign trade reached a total of 113.38 billion dollars (mdd) , which corresponded to 55.718 billion dollars in exports and 57.662 billion dollars in imports.

Compared to the same month last year, total trade grew by 3.4%, exports by 7.4%, and imports by -0.1%.

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El cargo Container traffic achieves best cycle of the year in August; Manzanillo provides the boost apareció primero en T21.

The Port of Long Beach , in California, United States, showed a slowdown in cargo movement last June, processing 704,403 TEUs  (20-foot containers), which meant 16.4% less than in the same month of 2024.

“Regardless of the economic climate, our facilities, longshore workers, and marine terminal operators continue to make this the primary gateway for transpacific freight movement,” said Bonnie Lowenthal, president of the Long Beach Port Commission.

In the sixth month of the year, imports decreased 16.9% to 348,681 TEUs , the port announced in a statement.

Meanwhile, exports also showed negative figures, falling 10.9% to 87,627 TEUs . Empty containers circulating through the port reached 268,095 TEUs , representing a 17.4% decrease compared to the reference month.

Despite the decline in June 2025, port authorities anticipate a recovery in July.

“We anticipate an increase in cargo in July as retailers stock up on products ordered during the 90-day pause imposed on tariffs and retaliatory duties,” said Mario Cordero, executive director of the Port of Long Beach.

In the first half of 2025, the port handled 4,746,631 TEUs , 10.6% more than in the same period in 2024.

“The Port of Long Beach is prepared to handle the influx by tracking trade moving through the port with the Supply Chain Information Highway, our digital solution for maximizing visibility and efficiency in cargo movement,” Cordero said.

Bonnie Lowenthal emphasized that investment continues in infrastructure projects to maintain efficient and sustainable cargo movement in the port area.

In this sense, the port is recognized as a world leader in green initiatives and first-class customer service, moving cargo with reliability, speed, and efficiency.

It is one of 18 strategic commercial seaports in the United States, supporting the deployment of forces during contingencies and other national defense emergencies.

In 2025, the facility is celebrating “20 Years of Green Leadership ,” marking two decades of its historic Green Port policy, which has significantly reduced the environmental impacts of its operations.

As the United States’ primary gateway for trans-Pacific trade, the port handles more than $300 billion in trade annually and supports 2.7 million American jobs , including 691,000 in Southern California.

Over the next 10 years, authorities plan $3.2 billion in capital improvements to increase capacity, competitiveness, and sustainability.

Main image taken from X’s account: @portoflongbeach .

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El cargo Container movement slows at the Port of Long Beach in June apareció primero en T21.