On May 11, the company added this equipment to facilitate its operation. These include two QC-type gantry cranes, also known as STS (Ship-to-Shore) cranes , considered the largest in the Americas, as well as four RTG cranes .

“These cranes, which were added to those acquired last year, mark a crucial step toward the goal of increasing Mexico’s international competitiveness and consolidating the Port of Manzanillo as a national leader in port operations,” Contecon Manzanillo said in a statement.

STS ship-to-dock gantry cranes are notable for being the largest, with a height of 60 meters. Their role is fundamental in today’s logistics chain, as they enable the agile and efficient loading and unloading of containers from large vessels.

With the addition of these STS cranes, Contecon Manzanillo is positioned as the first terminal in the Americas to feature this type of equipment. “Thanks to this advancement, we successfully serviced the MSC NAPOLI earlier this year , one of the largest vessels to dock at the port of Manzanillo, operating with a stack of 10 high-cube containers,” he emphasized.

The capacity to handle large vessels opens up new opportunities to attract more operations to the port of Manzanillo, benefiting Mexican foreign trade by reducing logistics times and increasing international competitiveness.

The company’s expansion project includes expanding its yards and docks to accommodate megaships of up to 24,000 TEUs.

“Thanks to our strategic investments, we have increased our operational capacity, allowing us to achieve 14% growth in 2024, moving 1,454,201 TEUs and contributing to the economic development of Manzanillo,” said José Antonio Contreras, CEO of Contecon Manzanillo.

During 2024, investments exceeding $300 million were made , highlighting the acquisition of gantry and RTG cranes, as well as the construction of new container yards, which are already in operation, the firm recalled.

“With these new acquisitions, we have boosted the growth of Contecon Manzanillo and consolidated our position as one of the country’s leading logistics platforms,” ​​emphasized José Antonio Contreras.

The company emphasized that investments are key to boosting the port of Manzanillo, which, according to the Mexican government , is the country’s main trade and logistics center, handling approximately 70% of imports from Asia.

In 2024 alone, the port handled 39.8% of the national total for containerized goods, with just over 23.5 million tons ; although, based on the number of containers, it handled 41.8% of the national total, with 3,924,515 TEUs , according to the National Port System Administration (Asipona) Manzanillo .

*Images taken from the LinkedIn profile of Contecon Manzanillo.

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As part of its modernization and operational efficiency strategy, Hutchison Ports TIMSA , a multi-purpose terminal operating in the port of Manzanillo, received two new sixth-generation electric mobile cranes (e-MHC) , following an investment of more than 300 million pesos (mdp).

The cranes are Gottwald ESP10 models from Germany. Each has a reach of up to 22 beam rows and a lifting capacity of 100 tons, allowing it to service super post-Panamax container ships with a capacity of up to 15,500 20-foot containers (TEU) .

“With this addition, we strengthen our operational capacity and reaffirm our commitment to our customers to offer a more efficient and reliable service, while contributing to the sustainable performance of our dock operations,” said Manuel García Gordillo, general manager of Hutchison Ports TIMSA.

The executive said that these new tools are aligned with Hutchison Ports’ global NET Zero sustainability strategy, which seeks to reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions by 54.6% by 2033 , and achieve zero emissions across its entire value chain by 2050 .

“These electric cranes are part of our environmental and operational commitment. We seek not only to increase efficiency, but also to reduce our carbon footprint and modernize our terminal with cutting-edge technology,” added García Gordillo.

The arrival of these cranes is in addition to the development of a seven-hectare external yard , which in its first phase will increase handling capacity by 60,000 TEUs , with a projection of reaching an  additional 150,000 TEUs by 2026 .

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In September 2023, the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT) announced that the fee for the use of emergency braking ramps on all federal highways was being eliminated , while the Computerized Service Registration System (SIRSE) was being created, which would provide transparency and legal certainty in the rescue of federal and private motor transport vehicles by means of cranes.

This is a positive situation on paper, but in reality it is far from being fulfilled. At the end of December, a transport company faced the situation where one of its fulles (double-articulated tractor-trailers) had to take an emergency ramp to avoid an accident, or make it worse, according to what one of its directors told T21.

In this story, it was shared how the company had to accrue a high amount of hundreds of thousands of pesos, which increased as the days passed , despite the fact that the situation of using the emergency ramp was justified.

The businessman who shared his story emphasized the complex route that must be followed, where there is no support from the authorities, such as the National Guard, to avoid the different abuses that occur on the roads, such as what happens with the cranes and the excessive charges for towing and rescue services.

In those same days, in the Transport and Logistics group on LinkedIn, the case of Valtons Group was described , which also faced a situation with the towing and rescue cranes, where due to a service bill that should not exceed 40 thousand pesos, a bill of more than one million pesos had to be covered.

“Businessmen, transporters and citizens: Today we raise our voices against the corruption and brutal abuse carried out by certain tow truck companies in Mexico,” quotes the Valtons Group publication.

The main complaint from the company is that there was no budget or cost report. “This is how these abusive cranes operate, without transparency, without ethics and with total impunity,” said Valtons Group.

The call from Valtons Group and its general director, Isaí Pérez, is to state the excessive abuse and helplessness of the authority, because in addition to covering the amount of more than one million pesos, the full amount was retained for more than six days, “affecting our operations and economy ,” Pérez said on his LinkedIn account.

The situation faced by both companies is a constant that transportation companies face on a daily basis, and the call from the businessmen is to stop this type of extortion and abuse, in addition to having the support of the authorities.

“These practices damage the economy, affect thousands of families and destroy trust in our institutions. This has to stop!” stated the posts on social media and in the message shared with T21.

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Manzanillo, Col. – The Wait is Over Contecon Manzanillo has become the first container terminal in the Americas to operate with two 60-meter-high STS cranes, considered the largest and most modern in the world.

This new equipment will help achieve the expansion plans that Contecon Manzanillo has outlined for the country’s most important port and marks a watershed moment for the development of logistics and international trade.

During the unveiling, José Antonio Contreras, CEO of Contecon Manzanillo, explained that the commencement of crane operations signifies the beginning of a new era for Contecon, not only in terms of facilities, equipment, and technology, but also in fostering closer relationships with cargo owners.

The terminal’s plan is to increase its annual operation from 1.4 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) to more than 2.2 million TEUs, aided by the new cranes and the ongoing expansion of the Specialized Container Terminal (TEC) II.

“This must be accompanied by new access points and increased customs capabilities, along with better coordination among all parties involved. It is unacceptable that a port like this has had the same access and evacuation capabilities for the past 10 years, while terminals and trade continue to grow. However, I believe we have all taken responsibility and share a common goal of advancing this great port of Manzanillo,” stated Contreras.

In an interview with T21, José Antonio Contreras detailed that the Mexico-Asia trade exchange continues to grow exponentially at an increasing pace. He noted that due to this dynamism, the size of the ships is also increasing. Four years ago, only 10% of the ships arriving in Manzanillo were over 350 meters long; by 2024, nearly 50% of the ships are over 350 meters and up to 400 meters long. “We believe this is a trend that will continue to accelerate,” he said.

“We bought these STS cranes two years ago because we believe that Manzanillo should have this capacity. If you don’t have a dock designed for these ships and a crane that can operate them, Mexico would suffer as it would be excluded from international traffic,” he asserted.

The CEO of Contecon Manzanillo explained that the port receives semi-finished products for manufacturing in Mexico, which are then exported to the United States, serving industries such as automotive, electronics, and textiles. “But domestic consumption is also growing; we’ve seen a 70% increase when comparing the first quarter of 2020 to the first quarter of 2024,” he said.

During the unveiling of the STS cranes, considered the largest in the Americas at 60 meters high and designed to operate the world’s largest container ships, Mario Gasque Peña, Director General of the National Port System Administration (Asipona) Manzanillo, explained that the arrival of this equipment marks a significant milestone in the growth of the port’s operations. Last year, 22.6 million tons of containerized cargo were moved, and in the past 10 years, the port’s throughput has grown from 2.1 million to 3.7 million TEUs, making it the busiest container port in the country.

“This action (the commencement of crane operations) not only strengthens the infrastructure of a dock but ensures that the port of Manzanillo continues to be a fundamental pillar of Mexico’s economy and a benchmark in Latin America. It is also a clear demonstration of the confidence in our port and its future—a promising port. The increased cargo capacity and operational efficiency will allow us not only to maintain but surpass our position as the port handling the most containers in Mexico and advance among the most dynamic ports in Latin America,” affirmed Gasque Peña.

Expansion Plans

To date, Contecon Manzanillo has invested over 5.7 billion pesos in infrastructure and 3 million pesos in equipment. “We are investing more than 4.6 billion pesos to realize this new era for Contecon, which in its first phase from 2022-2024 includes the construction of 180 meters of docks, storage yards for up to 260,000 TEUs, the installation of over 900 additional reefer plugs, as well as 13 RTG cranes and two new super Post Panamax dock cranes capable of operating 24,000 TEU mega vessels,” Contreras detailed.

The second phase, from 2024 to 2025, involves the construction of an additional 227 meters of docks, storage yards for up to 275,000 TEUs, and the acquisition of two super Post Panamax dock cranes and six RTG cranes. These investments will enable the terminal to expand its capacity from 1.4 million to over 2 million TEUs.

The expansion project also includes the enlargement of the intermodal facility, which will double the current 2 km to nearly 5 km by 2025. This will allow Contecon to operate dedicated unit trains with 120 cars, speeding up the movement of goods, reducing transit times, and improving transportation costs.

Additionally, the construction of a new access road to Contecon, nearly 3 km of dual carriageway, will streamline truck transit times and expedite the dispatch and reception of containers.

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