Mexican ports reported declines during the second month of 2026, moving 720,421 twenty-foot containers (TEUs) , which meant a decrease of 4.9% compared to February 2025, according to figures from the National Port System of the Secretariat of the Navy (Semar) .

An analysis by  T21 Business Intelligence showed that the vast majority of ports lost TEU movements in February, with the exception of Guaymas (Sonora), which grew by double digits by reporting 61.6%, with 1,317 TEUs moved ; and Coatzacoalcos (Veracruz), which reported a growth of 5.6% with 1,136 TEUs.

In contrast,  Manzanillo, in Colima , accounted for a total of  310,950 TEUs, a slight decrease of 0.6%  compared to the same period in 2025; while Lázaro Cárdenas, in Michoacán, totaled 203,300 TEUs handled  during February, 4% less than in the same period of 2025.

Meanwhile, the port of  Veracruz handled 89,692 TEUs in the second month of the year , a 5.5% drop compared to 2025; and Altamira, in Tamaulipas, which has had three months of negative figures , registered a contraction of 15.6% compared to the same period in 2025, reporting 58,395 TEUs handled .

Despite the negative numbers reported in several ports, the accumulated total for the first two months of 2025 showed an increase of 1.8% compared to the January-February period of 2025 , with 1,518,327 TEUs handled . Guaymas, Sonora, saw double-digit growth of 78.4% , registering 2,903 TEUs; and Lázaro Cárdenas, which increased by 8.3% to 438,403 TEUs, registered the most significant growth.

Regarding participation in the second month of 2026,  Manzanillo accounted for 43.2% of the total TEU movement ; Lázaro Cárdenas had 28.2%, Veracruz 12.4% and Altamira 8.1 percent.

In February 2026, the Mexican economy showed a slowdown, with an annual growth of 1.22% in the Timely Indicator of Economic Activity , according to figures from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi) .

The industrial sector contracted by 1.89% compared to the same month in 2025, while services declined by 1.87%. The combination of the contraction in secondary activities and the slower growth in tertiary activities reflected weaker economic activity during the second month of the year, which was reflected in TEU shipments.

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With the aim of being a reference in the mobilization of goods in the national maritime trade, the inauguration of the docks for coastal shipping and smaller vessels was carried out, as well as the completion of other infrastructure works at the Lázaro Cárdenas Port in Michoacán.

Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla, governor of the state, highlighted that the coastal shipping dock means “taking a step forward” in the Port of Lázaro Cárdenas, with the purpose of strengthening trade with Asian countries, such as China, Japan and Korea, and India, a nation that is experiencing economic growth and which, he said, is in the sights of this port.

Regarding cabotage , which is the transportation of goods that occurs from port to port, he said that Mexico is one of the countries with one of the greatest potentials for this activity, but it is also one of the nations that takes the least advantage of it to move cargo internally.

At the ceremony to conclude the cabotage docks for small vessels, as well as access to the coastal boulevard and the start of rehabilitation of the General Lázaro Cárdenas del Río National Airport, he assured that the cabotage network being developed is “logical” with the Port of Salina Cruz, Oaxaca, and with the trans-isthmus route .

Ramírez Bedolla said that the launch of this route has to do with “creating a hub between Manzanillo, Ensenada, Guaymas, Mazatlán, all the Pacific ports, including Lázaro Cárdenas and the Port of Salina Cruz.”

According to the Navy (Semar), from January to July of this year, the national movement of diverse cargo by cabotage was 31 million 255 thousand 116 tons .

In cabotage by type of cargo in said period in the Lázaro Cárdenas Port, the Semar indicated in its Report on the movement of cargo, ships and passengers in the ports of Mexico, a total of one million 737 thousand 363 tons were reached, and, in the same period, the national movement in commercial ports by cabotage of various types of merchandise totaled 21 million 289 thousand 674 tons .

Despite the importance of maritime cabotage, which the government of Andrés Manuel López Obrador placed as one of its priority projects, this activity has not shown considerable progress during his administration, since in his Sixth Government Report he barely dedicates a few lines to it where he explains the “actions” undertaken.

At the event, Vice Admiral Anselmo Osorio Fraga, General Director of the National Port System Administration (Asipona) Lázaro Cárdenas , highlighted that the new docks for cabotage and smaller vessels will play a decisive role in boosting the economy and sustainable development of the region, as they will improve cargo handling capacity and contribute to the reduction of carbon emissions.

He indicated that access to the coastal boulevard represents a great advance in the port-city link, and pointed out that in the rehabilitation of the General Lázaro Cárdenas del Río National Airport , a plan will be designed, in order to complement the infrastructure to develop this area.

According to Semar, the cabotage dock is the first specialized in short distance transit in Mexico, with an investment of 590 million pesos (mdp) , it is 350 meters long and has an operations yard and an advanced lighting system.

The dock for small vessels had an investment of 92 million pesos and is designed to serve search and rescue vessels in charge of the Navy, as well as tugboats. Its dimensions are 150 meters long by 20 meters wide , and it has two platforms of different heights.

Access to the coastal boulevard required an investment of 293 million pesos and measures 3.2 kilometers, and will serve to improve connectivity and mobility in the area.

Regarding the start of the rehabilitation of the airport, he explained that just in August of this year a collaboration agreement was signed with the Mexico City Airport Group (GACM) , with the purpose of providing technical, administrative, legal and financial assistance to Asipona Lázaro Cárdenas.

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The Lázaro Cárdenas Port Authority reported that by the end of July this year, it handled a total of 17,803,839 tons of cargo, a 9% increase compared to the same period last year.

In deep-sea traffic, the port managed a total of 11,634,707 tons in imports, surpassing the 9,953,589 tons recorded in the same period of 2023, representing a 17% increase.

Regarding exports, 4,371,769 tons were reached, compared to 3,956,396 tons the previous year, equivalent to a 10% increase.

The National Port System Administration (Asipona) of Lázaro Cárdenas indicated that, in terms of vessel handling, 975 ships were received, marking a 7% increase compared to the 911 ships during the same period in 2023.

Of the 975 ships received, 90% were deep-sea traffic and 10% were coastal vessels.

In terms of arrival participation, containerized cargo represented 56%, followed by ro-ro ships at 17%, petroleum fluids at 12%, mineral bulk at 8%, general loose cargo at 4%, other fluids at 3%, and agricultural bulk carriers at 0%.

Compared to projections, there was a 10% decrease in vessel reception.

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