“Mexico has a cargo imbalance in some markets; it exports more than it imports from the United States, and that impacts us with cross-border tariffs . Depending on the routes, we need to know if we’re going to be cheap, if we’re going to help with empty return flights, or where we’re going to jump in line if it’s oversold,” said Luis Felipe González, Vice President of Customer Solutions for EASO and Hub Group .

During his participation in Container Week , organized by the Mexican Association of Intermodal Transport (AMTI) , he added that the reduction in capacity of B1 operators, the insecurity in some corridors in Mexico, among other factors, also impact intermodal transport.

Regarding the high level of capacity for land transport in the United States, he explained that this situation leads to low intermodal rates , while “the rhetoric of the President of the United States, Donald Trump, changes every day and affects us.”

At the event, he indicated that the shortage of road transport for certain markets, such as in the port of Lázaro Cárdenas, gave rise to a phenomenon in the arrival of automobiles of Chinese origin, since they were moved through containers .

He also pointed out that fuel and other ancillary costs are included in the fares for this mode of transport. However, he mentioned that compared to trucking, they offer stable annual fares, more consistent transit times, and more cost-effective door-to-door service.

He reported that, according to AMTI data, for the first half of this year, cross-border intermodal grew 17%, while domestic intermodal grew 7%, and maritime intermodal registered a drop of 8%.

“Domestic freight has grown strongly in recent years. It slowed down in 2021, but in 2022, 2023, and 2024, while the total volume of cargo may still be low, it remains one of the fastest-growing segments in terms of percentage. We’ve struggled quite a bit to recover volumes in cross-border freight due to the dynamics of the relationship with the United States. As for maritime intermodal freight, the pandemic and the Long Beach port closure had a positive effect, causing many cargo flows from China to North America to shift to Lázaro Cárdenas and Manzanillo,” he emphasized.

Luis Felipe González predicts a good end to the year for this mode of transport .

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El cargo What factors impact intermodal transport rates? apareció primero en T21.

Hub Group has entered into an agreement to acquire Marten Transport ‘s intermodal assets , including approximately 1,200 refrigerated containers , becoming the second-largest provider of temperature-controlled intermodal solutions in North America.

“We are excited to more than double our fleet of temperature-controlled containers and leverage our existing intermodal network to serve Marten Intermodal customers,” said Phil Yeager, president, CEO and vice chairman of Hub Group.

The transaction is structured as an asset purchase of certain intermodal equipment and contracts from Marten Transport Ltd. for $51.8 million and is expected to close by the end of the third quarter.

Yeager mentioned that this opportunity aligns with their long-term investment strategy, expands their margin, and preserves capital flexibility. “We are committed to maintaining the strong service and growth momentum of our leading temperature-controlled intermodal offering,” he stated.

According to the investor filing, Hub Group’s refrigerated intermodal transport volume has overcome the cyclical downturn and reflects healthy demand from carriers.

The company said the new refrigerated container capacity provides equipment to meet existing customer demand and to establish refrigerated service in Mexico .

Marten Intermodal serves a diverse group of approximately 100 shippers in the food and beverage segments, offering competitive advantages such as reliable service and lower costs compared to temperature-controlled road transport.

The company generated $51.5 million in revenue during the trailing 12 months ending June 30, 2025.

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El cargo Hub Group to acquire Marten Transport Intermodal; adds refrigerated capacity apareció primero en T21.

Hub Group has entered into an agreement to acquire Marten Transport ‘s intermodal assets , including approximately 1,200 refrigerated containers , becoming the second-largest provider of temperature-controlled intermodal solutions in North America.

“We are excited to more than double our fleet of temperature-controlled containers and leverage our existing intermodal network to serve Marten Intermodal customers,” said Phil Yeager, president, CEO and vice chairman of Hub Group.

The transaction is structured as an asset purchase of certain intermodal equipment and contracts from Marten Transport Ltd. for $51.8 million and is expected to close by the end of the third quarter.

Yeager mentioned that this opportunity aligns with their long-term investment strategy, expands their margin, and preserves capital flexibility. “We are committed to maintaining the strong service and growth momentum of our leading temperature-controlled intermodal offering,” he stated.

According to the investor filing, Hub Group’s refrigerated intermodal transport volume has overcome the cyclical downturn and reflects healthy demand from carriers.

The company said the new refrigerated container capacity provides equipment to meet existing customer demand and to establish refrigerated service in Mexico .

Marten Intermodal serves a diverse group of approximately 100 shippers in the food and beverage segments, offering competitive advantages such as reliable service and lower costs compared to temperature-controlled road transport.

The company generated $51.5 million in revenue during the trailing 12 months ending June 30, 2025.

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El cargo Hub Group to acquire Marten Transport Intermodal; adds refrigerated capacity apareció primero en T21.

May 30th marked the end of an era immersed in transportation, most recently in intermodal transportation, but it also marked the beginning of new plans, of concretizing projects, of starting a new chapter. Eduardo Asperó Zanella left the position of vice president for Mexico at Hub Group , a US logistics solutions provider, but decided to start his own consulting firm.

With the help of a partner and his son, this new company is embarking on an independent start-up. In the coming months, it will focus on finding clients and specialized personnel in ports and maritime transport, engineering, and other fields to provide a more comprehensive service. Nothing is far removed from its passion for the railway sector.

“It was time to dedicate myself to something more personal, no longer bound by corporate schedules. Diversifying my activities isn’t the same as working with a single company and suddenly seeing two completely different specific cases. It’s very stimulating. I don’t plan to step away and will continue to be active, but with projects that excite me and have a deadline; something that allows me to do what I love,” he emphasized.

It was in February of this year that he accumulated 45 years of experience . He began in 1980 in the area of ​​International, Port, and Maritime Affairs at the then Ministry of Communications and Transportation (SCT).

However, he stated that there are three key moments that have marked his career. He was involved in the incorporation of private companies into ports . “I was involved in that whole process, transforming operations from state-owned companies to private ones. It was an incredible learning experience in the port business.”

Another stage that marked him was the privatization of the Mexican railway sector , “it was very interesting to see this whole operation,” but also the development of intermodal transport in the country .

“I joined Pacer in 2000, operating in five intermodal terminals, and after 15 years, we were operating in 11, some of which were privately owned by automotive companies. That process went from intermodal, with restrictions, simple terminals, with a primitive layout, to one with developed, specialized terminals, owned by new operators. It was a great experience; I had the opportunity to participate in depth,” he recalled.

Hub Group began operations in 2015, with a more developed intermodal transportation landscape and several players. “The challenge was to professionalize all services and expand into the automotive sector,” he emphasized.

“It’s been very interesting to have participated in this entire evolution. The ports’ evolution was spectacular; the railroads’ evolution is unsurprising, and intermodal transportation still needs to be developed. But we already have a position with multiple specialized service providers, alliances from Canada to Mexico, and competition in every sense. That is the foundation for development,” he indicated.

However, his arrival to the intermodal sector was with Ferrosur , with a service between Veracruz and Pantaco, the so-called “VIP”. Later, a company was looking for someone with knowledge in this segment, but also in railways and who had a relationship with the government. With them, his arrival to the private sector began.

In his opinion, for intermodal transport to “explode,” it is necessary to have institutional facilitation schemes , a good customs system that allows for this transport by sea, greater incorporation of railroads in the maritime segment, expanded cross-border services , and an intermodal terminal in the south of the country, to name a few.

At the end of last year, a strategic joint venture between EASO and Hub Group was announced to expand their intermodal and logistics services in the region. While it wasn’t the final straw, it was the beginning of a long career in the Mexican rail and intermodal sector.

Eduardo Asperó was part of Grupo T21’s Top 100+ Influential People in Transport and Logistics for the past few years .

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El cargo Eduardo Asperó, a figure leaving his mark on the Mexican railway sector apareció primero en T21.