The Mexican Intermodal Transport Association (AMTI) reported that it continues testing the application that allows it to comply with Annex 29, a document required by the Mexican National Customs Agency (ANAM) for cross-border intermodal shipments .

Diego Anchustegui, president of AMTI, explained that this tool allows for earlier processing, which will contribute to greater competitiveness in intermodal transportation.

“It’s a big step forward; it will help us facilitate exports and make intermodal transportation more competitive. Ultimately, Annex 29 is only required for internal customs clearance in intermodal transportation, not for truck exports,” he said in an interview following the monthly meeting held by AMTI.

He explained that this document, which is currently filled out manually and is required for export, requests information such as the tractor-trailer license plate, operator’s name, customer, and what will be shipped, among other data.

Anchustegui stated that testing of the application proposed by ANAM began four months ago with various transporters, during which time several changes have been made to the application to improve its results.

However, there is no release date yet, as it will need to meet all requirements and ensure its operation, as well as determine who will be joining the application.

“We don’t want to go to ANAM and say it’s fine, only to have it require additional changes later. That’s why we prefer them to use it for a longer period of time and for it to be perfect so it’s fully utilized,” he emphasized.

He argued that, in addition to reducing the time required to complete this document, having this application reduces paperwork for operators and any unforeseen issues related to it.

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40 or 20 feet. It doesn’t matter. The big question currently being asked by the intermodal transport sector in Mexico is whether each of the containers entering and circulating through the country will have to comply with the warning of the auto transport beacon , a measure recently introduced in the country by the federal authority with which it is intended to combat insecurity on the roads.

If this scenario is dimensioned, the proportions of its application are immense .

“I cannot imagine the thousands of containers that enter through [the ports of] Manzanillo and Lázaro Cárdenas having to have a special number just for entering Mexico. Our position is never one of opposition, but of collaboration. We want to find joint solutions with the government so that these regulations are viable without affecting intermodal operations,” said Diego Anchustegui, president of the Mexican Association of Intermodal Transport (AMTI) , during the monthly meeting with its members.

On February 7, the General Directorate of Federal Auto Transport (DGAF) , belonging to the Secretariat of Infrastructure, Communications and Transport (SICT) , published a “ Notice ” in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF) where it announced the new government provision in which the owners of federal auto transport fleets are requested to identify the units -with the alphanumeric data corresponding to their license plate-, by means of decals, paint or tarps, depending on the configuration of the vehicle.

The authority itself defined in a technical annex that “vehicle configurations that, due to the characteristics of their body or modality, do not have a tarp on the container or trailer, must be covered with a tarp with the identification number (hoppers, pipes, platforms without load, vehicles without wheels, cages, containers, vehicles under a leasing scheme and/or vehicles for temporary internment from the USA to Mexico) .”

So far, the authority has not defined that marking of vehicles is mandatory or the sanctions for those who do not do so ; but it has specified that the “Notice” came into effect the day after its publication in the DOF and the owners of the fleets will have 90 calendar days to do so.

“The concern we should have is that this could eventually become a law with penalties,” said Humberto Vargas, vice president in Mexico for Union Pacific (UP) , who attended the monthly AMTI meeting.

Faced with this great challenge, AMTI has requested a meeting with the Legal Department of SICT “to explain the particularities of intermodal transport, especially the difficulties that this would bring for maritime and cross-border intermodal transport. Implementing this measure on thousands of containers that enter the country through ports or borders would be impossible,” according to Anchustegui.

In the maritime sector alone, the country’s ports received just over 3.8 million 20-foot containers (TEU) in import services in 2024 , according to official data.

Some of these containers will be loaded onto the train to be transported to an intermodal terminal close to the consumption or production centres. The last mile of their journey will be made by tractor-trailer. Or from the port they will be transported by tractor-trailer to their final destination. In logistics jargon, the use of both modes of transport is known as intermodality.

Marking the vehicles is part of the strategy that the federal government is seeking to implement to reduce robberies of goods in transit. The idea of ​​having greater visibility of the identification of transport units would be an advantage with the use of drones at the time of a criminal incident.

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The Mexican Intermodal Transport Association (AMTI) renewed its Board of Directors on Thursday, with Diego Anchustegui re-elected to serve as president for another one-year period. He said he would focus his efforts on increasing the participation of intermodal transport in the country.

“We live in a time of rapid and intense changes in Mexico and North America. These changes require us to adapt and take advantage of new opportunities. Political opportunities to grow this intermodal sector,” said Anchustegui in a meeting with the membership.

The new president of AMTI indicated that during his mandate he will also seek a closer relationship with federal authorities , “to demonstrate how intermodal transport can and should be the driving force for development in Mexico. Intermodal is 75% more ecological than conventional auto transport. It is more competitive and contributes to reducing inflation, alleviating prices for the consumer.”

He also stated that they will continue to build the collaboration project with the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA) , as well as continue to promote regulations such as Annex 29 (document required for cross-borderintermodal shipments ) before authorities such as the National Service for Health, Safety and Agri-Food Quality (SENASICA) .

The AMTI is made up of national and foreign railway companies, as well as companies that offer logistics services, but whose focus is on encouraging the use of two or more modes of transport in the movement of their clients’ goods .

“At AMTI we have to collaborate with these railroads to promote this transfer of cargo from conventional to intermodal transport. We have this great challenge, but also an opportunity to grow this sector and face the current challenges of mobility and sustainability,” said Anchustegui.

The new AMTI Board of Directors was formed as follows:

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Intermodal transport is the most efficient, provides lower costs, is eco-friendly, safe, and has more capacity, were the words Diego Anchustegui used to begin the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Mexican Association of Intermodal Transport (AMTI).

“We are creating an intermodal culture. This event is not about one person, it’s not mine or any past president’s, but about all of us who are supporting intermodal transport, railroads, and helping it grow,” he said.

In front of companies, clients, railroad representatives, and special guests, he commented that through AMTI, he obtained the foundations to “overcome any challenge, the business foundations to be the company we are.”

Four past presidents of the organization joined the celebration. The first, Eduardo Asperó, Vice President of Business in Mexico for Hub Group, who led the association from 2006 to 2010, recalled that he experienced a stage when intermodal transport was in its infancy, while the railroad companies “did not get along, they were in full conflict, and the best element of the association was integrating them into a competitive intermodal scheme.”

“The association has a fundamental role in integration that we want to see prevail. Today there is momentum, a change, to pass on to new generations this drive, this integration scheme that involves railroads, trucking, and wherever there is operational efficiency,” he said.

Isaac Franklin, General Director of Administration and Finance of Ferromex, and president of AMTI from 2011 to 2012, explained that he was the first representative of the railroads, as he was head of Ferrovalle when he joined AMTI, and faced the challenge of continuing to develop this mode of transport.

“The moment I was involved was one of growth, continuing to develop and finding ways to do it. For us at Ferromex, the intermodal segment has grown exponentially and is one of our top priorities to keep investing and converting into intermodal,” he commented.

Meanwhile, Fernando Ramos, General Director of Borderless Consulting Group, mentioned that leading AMTI was a tribute to his father, who many years ago rented a yard in Pantaco, where the first containers arrived in Mexico in 1975.

“For me, almost 30 years later, being president meant a kind of tribute to my father, who had the vision to bring containers from Europe to the country via Houston by rail. Now it’s easy, Chicago-Pantaco, four days, with UP, Kansas, Ferromex, but back then it was difficult,” he said.

He emphasized that during this period, terminals like Pantaco have been developed, but affirmed that evolution must continue as the country has “impressive” potential in intermodal transport.

Humberto Vargas, Vice President of Union Pacific in Mexico and a former president of the association, highlighted that over the past 25 years, there has been a “giant evolution” in this mode of transport.

“It’s about how we help the country become competitive, how we ensure our products reach all the countries where we have an international trade agreement in a competitive manner. Cross-border with the United States, maritime to reach Europe, South America to Asia, and even domestically—none of this existed 23 years ago, and that is an achievement of this association. There are many challenges to solve; we have nearshoring, everything is an efficient supply chain and a transportation solution for those companies that are getting closer to the North American market,” he explained.

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