The Mexican Chamber of the Maritime Transport Industry (Cameintram) ratified José Manuel Urreta Ortega as its president for the 2026 term , during the organization’s annual assembly held at the Confederation of Industrial Chambers (Concamin) , in an event where Admiral Gerardo de Jesús Toledo Guzmán, Undersecretary of Maritime and Port Affairs of the Secretariat of the Navy , swore in the National Board of Directors.

Upon assuming his second year at the helm of the agency, Urreta Ortega expressed his gratitude for the trust placed in him by the country’s shipowners and their counterparts in the Mexican government and legislature, while outlining the key areas of focus for this new phase. “We have promoted efforts to incentivize shipbuilding and coastal shipping in Mexico , and we aim to maintain active collaboration in the development of policies to foster and develop the national merchant marine, in order to defend and promote greater participation by shipowners, service providers, and related maritime transport activities in Mexico,” he stated.

In his message, he stressed that port modernization will be a key factor for the sector’s growth, noting that “the progress of infrastructure projects will allow us to absorb the projected increases in maritime operations in the coming years.”

As part of its 2025 review, the organization reported progress in strengthening its institutional relationship with the Mexican Navy, the Port Captaincies and Maritime Affairs Unit, the National Customs Agency of Mexico (ANAM) , as well as with the authorities of the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec (CIIT) and the Navy Commission in the Chamber of Deputies . It also promoted new short sea shipping routes in coordination with the Port of Miami, in addition to holding working sessions with Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex ) to address issues related to payments to suppliers.

In international matters, Cameintram maintained collaboration with the International Maritime Organization on issues related to the decarbonization of the sector.

By 2026, the organization plans to continue its institutional collaboration with the federal government, particularly with the Secretariat of the Navy, as well as strengthen its relationship with Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex). Among its strategic projects, the Florida Project stands out, focused on developing short sea shipping routes between ports in the Gulf of Mexico and the state of Florida

The business leader pointed out that the sector’s main challenges are linked to the relocation of production chains, which demands greater efficiency in ports and fleets, as well as improvements in safety and connectivity in coastal shipping operations to reduce costs and transit times. In this context, he emphasized the opportunities presented by the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec and the sector’s participation in the renegotiations of the North American trade agreement.

Regarding cabotage, the aim is to increase the activity of affiliated companies in segments such as oil, offshore , mineral bulk, agricultural bulk and general cargo, in addition to strengthening coordination with authorities on regulatory issues, navigation permits and certifications.

Cameintram also promotes the development of shipyards in the country to strengthen shipbuilding and the national merchant fleet, which, according to the organization, would contribute to job creation and increased revenue, although this requires conditions such as legal certainty, financing schemes and customs facilitation.

In parallel, the sector faces the challenge of complying with international regulations for the reduction of polluting emissions, in line with the International Maritime Organization, as well as advancing in the adoption of digital tools and artificial intelligence for route optimization, vessel monitoring and supply chain management.

At the close of his remarks, Urreta Ortega emphasized the importance of maritime transport for the country’s foreign trade: “In this second year of work, we will sail together towards a more competitive, sustainable, and proudly Mexican maritime transport industry.”

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The Mexican Chamber of the Maritime Transport Industry (Cameintram) renewed its National Board of Directors on Thursday for the 2025-2026 term, during which José Manuel Urreta Ortega was sworn in as its new president.

The incoming leader confirmed that he will continue the work accomplished by outgoing president Raúl Téllez Villagra, and reaffirmed his commitment to working for the Mexican merchant marine and the country’s development.

“In calm or turbulent waters, we will work for the sector,” he told the chamber members.

Urreta Ortega indicated that the areas they will focus their efforts on will be cabotage, maritime highways, shipbuilding, support for federal government projects such as the Isthmus of Tehuantepec Interoceanic Corridor (CIIT), the Maya Train, and the Dos Bocas Refinery; as well as contractual improvements with Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) , a focus on maritime decarbonization, nearshoring, cybersecurity, e-commerce, and artificial intelligence.

Present at the swearing-in ceremony, Vice Admiral Javier Torres Claudio, head of the Port Captaincy and Maritime Affairs Unit (Unicapam) , said that this month the Navy will begin a small coastal shipping project in the port of Salina Cruz, in the state of Oaxaca, to promote the CIIT, and also encouraged the Mexican merchant marine to participate in these projects now that various incentives have been established.

Urreta emphasized that one of the central pillars of his administration will be to consolidate Cameintram as the most representative and active business entity in Mexico’s maritime-port sector, as well as to defend the common interests of its members. To this end, he invited them to actively participate in the actions of his renewed National Board of Directors.

Cameintram recently celebrated its 35th anniversary and affiliates shipowners, operators, and service providers of the Mexican merchant marine.

The new presidency of Cameintram emphasized unity and teamwork among members and the current government, as well as within the Confederation of Industrial Chambers (Concamin) and the Business Coordinating Council (CCE) , representing the interests of the maritime sector as interlocutors to improve the industry’s conditions.

In his speech, Concamin Secretary Héctor Ramírez Leal stated that the country’s industrialists will support the work of Cameintram and outlined their efforts to promote the participation of the Mexican merchant marine in national supply chains, as well as encourage investment in this sector.

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