The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) , through the General Directorate of Environmental Impact and Risk (DGIRA), determined to formally end the environmental impact assessment procedure of the project “Development of the New Manzanillo Port, in the Basin II of the Cuyutlán Lagoon” , promoted by the National Port System Administration (Asipona) Manzanillo .

Through Official Letter SRA/DGIRA/DG-10367-25 , dated December 17, 2025, the environmental authority resolved to “finalize the Environmental Impact Assessment Procedure and order its filing as a concluded matter,” considering it materially impossible to continue with the evaluation of the project under the current file (code 06CL2025V0012).

The resolution does not imply a suspension or an administrative prevention: it is a formal termination of the procedure, which legally extinguishes the ongoing environmental process and eliminates the possibility that the project will continue its evaluation under the environmental impact statement (MIA-R) originally submitted.

In practical terms, the DGIRA’s decision compels Asipona Manzanillo to completely restart the environmental process if it intends to continue developing the new port. The resolution itself stipulates that any modification or reconfiguration of the project must be processed through a new Environmental Impact Statement in the regional modality, with a new file, new technical studies, a new public consultation, and a new comprehensive evaluation.

A project that ceases to exist administratively

The document is clear in its institutional scope: the Puerto Nuevo Manzanillo project, as it was presented in the procedure initiated in August 2025, ceases to exist from an administrative and environmental standpoint. This is not a technical correction or an engineering adjustment, but rather the complete invalidation of the evaluation process .

The DGIRA concludes that the “alternative” presented by the promoter – a reconfiguration of the port design to reduce the impact on the mangrove and avoid direct intervention on the Cocodrilo I and II islands – actually constitutes a new project , with environmental impacts different from those originally evaluated.

Among the elements that support this determination are the modification of docks, dredging, terminal platforms, navigation routes and the hydrodynamic interaction of Basin II with the other basins of the Cuyutlán lagoon system (I, III and IV), which generates cumulative and synergistic impacts not considered in the initial MIA-R.

The environmental authority points out that this reconfiguration involves the occupation of new areas , the alteration of hydrological flows and sediment transport, as well as the need for new specialized technical studies, including hydrodynamic modeling, sediment balances, flora and fauna inventories, and regional impact analysis.

The mangrove as a turning point

One of the central points of the resolution is the impact on the mangrove ecosystem. The DGIRA concludes that, even with the alternative presented, the project still involves the removal and alteration of mangroves , an ecosystem subject to strict regulatory protection.

Furthermore, the document warns that the port operation would modify the physicochemical conditions of the water , generating a progressive deterioration of the habitat, with additional loss of mangroves, affecting associated species and weakening the ecological functionality of the lagoon system in the long term.

The resolution also identifies risks of contaminant dispersal towards basins III and IV of the Cuyutlán Lagoon, areas linked to the proposed creation of a Protected Natural Area, with possible impacts on fishing, resident and migratory birds, regional biodiversity and salt production.

From strategic project to restartable project

From an institutional perspective, Semarnat’s decision transforms the status of the New Manzanillo Port: it ceases to be a project under evaluation and becomes a project that can be restarted .

This implies that any attempt at development must be rebuilt from the zero phase of environmental planning, with new technical bases, new studies, new social consultations and a new comprehensive assessment of impacts, in an environment where the ecological component acquires a determining weight.

Strategically, the resolution reshapes the horizon for port expansion in Manzanillo . The new port ceases to be a short- or medium-term project and shifts towards a long-term planning approach, subject to complex processes of environmental assessment, territorial governance, and social legitimacy.

Beyond the administrative record, the document reflects a structural shift in the relationship between port expansion and environmental boundaries. The development of new logistics infrastructure in ecologically sensitive areas is no longer solely governed by technical engineering criteria and operational capacity, but also by an institutional framework that prioritizes ecosystem integrity , public participation, and cumulative regional impacts.

The New Manzanillo Port project was not rejected in terms of future viability, but it was legally deactivated in its current configuration. From this point forward, any new attempt must be built under a completely different approach: not as a port expansion, but as a new project that is environmentally, territorially, and socially validated from its inception.

A multi-year project

The project for a new port in Cuyutlán is neither a recent nor a circumstantial idea: it is an initiative that has endured decades of failed attempts, technical redesigns, and planning adjustments without ever coming to fruition . However, it was during the administration of Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum that this proposal received more direct and structured institutional attention, to the point that, within the strategic plan, it was projected that at least one container terminal could be operational in the area before 2030.

Despite this, the constant factor preventing its realization has always been the same: environmental viability . The ecological complexity of the Cuyutlán lagoon system, the presence of mangroves, the hydrodynamic fragility of the ecosystem, and the cumulative regional impacts have transformed the environmental component not into an administrative obstacle, but into the true structural limitation of the project.

In one of his last public appearances as general director of Asipona Manzanillo, Admiral Guillermo Mejía George had announced that by October 2025, letters of interest had been received from the 13 most important shipping companies and terminals worldwide to participate in the future tenders for the Cuyutlán project.

“The next terminal will be put out to tender in July 2026 (…) and the first terminal will be operational in 2028-2029 ,” Mejía George announced during his participation in the XXIX Annual Congress of Shipping Agents, organized by the Mexican Association of Shipping Agents (Amanac) .

The new port facility planned by Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration, located about 30 kilometers from the current port, would cover approximately 1,880 hectares, an area four times larger than the current port of Manzanillo . It would specialize in containers and hydrocarbons, but would also include a support dock for inter-port transfers. Its depth of -18 meters would allow it to receive deep-draft vessels, while the terminals would have docks ranging from 1,176 to 2,000 meters in length, and surface areas ranging from 49 to 104 hectares.

The plan envisioned five highly technological container terminals , with yards and docks designed for progressive automation and comprehensive rail connectivity.

In its strategic conception, the project for the new port in Cuyutlán not only responded to a logic of expansion, but also to an operational need of the national port system: to serve as a relief valve for the current port of Manzanillo , which in recent years has operated recurrently under conditions of saturation.

The pressure on its infrastructure is not insignificant: Manzanillo closed 2025 handling 3,893,357 twenty-foot containers (TEUs), with only a slight decrease of 0.8% compared to 2024 , according to official statistics, which confirms that, even in scenarios of marginal stagnation, the levels of operation remain structurally high.

In that context, Cuyutlán was emerging as a key element for redistributing flows, alleviating bottlenecks, and reconfiguring the region’s logistical capacity. However, the Semarnat resolution makes it clear that port expansion can no longer be considered solely as a response to operational saturation: the environmental variable has become the structural factor that defines the real limits of port growth, even in the country’s main logistics hubs .

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El cargo Semarnat closes the environmental file for the New Manzanillo Port and forces the project to be restarted from scratch. apareció primero en T21.

VERACRUZ, VER.- Construction of the Nuevo Manzanillo port has not yet formally begun, but it has already sparked the interest of major global players in the maritime industry. According to Admiral Guillermo Mejía George, director general of the National Port System Administration (Asipona) Manzanillo , letters of interest have been received from 13 of the world’s largest shipping companies and terminals to participate in future bidding processes.

“The next terminal will be put out to tender in July 2026 (…) and the first terminal will be operational in 2028-2029,” he said during his participation in the 29th Annual Congress of Shipping Agents, organized by the Mexican Association of Shipping Agents (Amanac) .

This project is, in the words of George Mejía himself, a historic opportunity to reorganize port operations . “The Port of Manzanillo is a very busy and successful port, so the expansion project gives us the opportunity not only to expand our operational capacity, but also to implement planning that allows everything currently done in San Pedrito to be done in a more orderly and efficient manner in Cuyutlán Lagoon.”

The new port complex, located approximately 30 kilometers from the current port, will cover 1,880 hectares, a polygon four times the size of the current Manzanillo port. It will specialize in containers and hydrocarbons, but will also include a support dock for interport transfers . Its depth of -18 meters will allow it to receive deep-draft vessels, while the terminals will have docks measuring between 1,176 and 2,000 meters, and areas ranging from 49 to 104 hectares.

The plan includes five highly technological container terminals, with yards and docks designed for progressive automation and comprehensive rail connectivity . “The movement here is intended to be 70% by rail and 30% by land transport,” the admiral stated.

The construction of this new port also includes the relocation of the Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) facilities currently located in Polygon 1, a measure that, he explained, will strengthen the energy supply chain, ensuring control and traceability, and reducing risks to society at large.

The goal is ambitious: to make Manzanillo the number one port in Latin America and the 15th worldwide, with a projected volume of 10 million TEUs annually. “The goal: greater productivity per area, lower operational risk, and greater logistical efficiency,” Mejía George summarized.

According to the official, the current port of Manzanillo is operating at 95% capacity , causing severe congestion when internal or external disruptions occur, while the expansions currently underway at the terminals could reduce this percentage to only 89%. This highlights the importance of building the New Manzanillo port.

It should be remembered that in June of this year, T21 published that in an extraordinary session of the Board of Directors of Asipona Manzanillo, it was reported that the port authority would begin the administrative process for the relocation of the Specialized Container Terminal (TEC) I , concessioned since 1995 to the American company  SSA Marine Mexico , to the port of Cuyutlán.

He added that Navy personnel are working directly with Semarnat to expedite the process.

Added to this is the opposition from some local groups. ” There are some leaders out there who don’t let us move forward… they just put up obstacles, and those leaders have nothing to do with the fishermen. So the problem will be solved,” he stated. For years, he said, they have been working to offer alternatives to fishing cooperatives and prevent damage. “The watershed where they work is definitely not being touched, and they are being given support,” he emphasized.

Despite these obstacles, the project maintains international appeal. Six global companies have already expressed interest in participating in the dredging project , one of the most important technical components of the project. For Mejía George, the message is clear: Mexican port expansion is attracting global attention, and the challenge is to translate that interest into efficient and sustainable infrastructure within the agreed timeframe.

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El cargo Puerto Nuevo Manzanillo “attracts” large shipping companies and terminals apareció primero en T21.

With 200 years of port history, Manzanillo has established itself as the most important logistics hub in the Mexican Pacific. Since its establishment in 1825 as a deep-sea and coastal port, it has overcome political, geographical, and operational challenges to become the country’s leading container port and one of the most important in Latin America.

Infrastructure development was key to its growth. At the end of the 19th century, under the Porfiriato, fundamental works such as the breakwater and the dredging of the access channel were built. In 1908, the railway connection with Guadalajara and Mexico City marked a turning point in its logistical integration. Decades later, the construction of the San Pedrito complex, inaugurated in 1970, laid the foundation for its modern transformation.

Currently, the Port of Manzanillo handles more than 23.5 million tons of containerized cargo annually and maintains a steady flow of operations with more than 1,700 arrivals annually. These figures confirm its role in the regional and national logistics network.

A structural change occurred in December 2020, with the transfer of port functions to the Ministry of the Navy (Semar) . The transformation of the APIs into ASIPONAS, as is the case in Manzanillo, allowed for management focused on safety, sustainability, and operational efficiency under a strategic model led by officials with an administrative and commercial vision. This new phase prioritizes sustainable growth, private investment, intermodal connections, and harmony with the city through the Port-City program.

In response to projected cargo increases at the Port of San Pedrito, the ambitious development of the New Port of Manzanillo-Cuyutlán began in 2024. This new logistics platform covers more than 1,880 hectares in the Cuyutlán Lagoon’s Vaso II basin. This new logistics platform includes two specialized container terminals with the capacity to handle up to five million TEUs, 1,500-meter docks, two oil terminals, a new Pemex complex, dredged channels for mega-ships, maneuvering bays, customs infrastructure, rail connections, elevated viaducts, and clean energy through natural gas.

The project seeks to position Manzanillo as the most modern and sustainable port in Latin America. It is estimated to generate tariff revenue of up to 450 billion pesos and 10 billion pesos in compensation, with the potential to double its current capacity and climb to the top 15 of the world’s most important ports.

Manzanillo’s bicentennial is more than a historical commemoration: it marks the beginning of a new port era under the direction of the Semar (National Maritime Service), consolidating Manzanillo as Mexico’s strategic logistics hub for the 21st century.

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El cargo Manzanillo: 200 years of leadership apareció primero en T21.

The Ministry of the Navy (Semar) is willing to launch the Nuevo Manzanillo (Cuyutlán Port) project before the end of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum’s term. And no proposals have been spared.

At the last extraordinary session of the Board of Directors of the National Port System Administration (Asipona) Manzanillo , held on June 20, it was reported that the port authority plans to begin the administrative process for the relocation of the Specialized Container Terminal (TEC) I , concessioned since 1995 to the American company SSA Marine Mexico , to the port of Cuyutlán.

“(…) this ASIPONA Manzanillo considers the relocation of TEC I feasible for reasons of public interest,” according to a document signed by Asipona Manzanillo presented at the Board of Directors meeting, of which T21 has a copy.

In November 2024, the federal government launched the priority project for the construction of the “Puerto Nuevo Manzanillo Cuyutlán” (New Port of Manzanillo Cuyutlán)—a total of 1,880 hectares— which plans to include up to four specialized container terminals , the current largest business line of the Port of Manzanillo. This measure seeks to address the operational problems facing the main commercial port on the Mexican Pacific due to the saturation of its current terminals.

Since the Executive’s announcement, the local and international port community has been waiting for Asipona Manzanillo, a subsidiary of Semar, to publish the bidding rules for the first two terminals considered for the project’s initial phase.

According to the Asipona Manzanillo document, the main legal basis for proposing the relocation of TEC I is referred to in what is explained in the penultimate paragraph of article 41 of the Ports Law: “The Secretariat, with a view to the public interest, may modify the uses, destinations and modes of operation provided for in the PMDP (Port Development Master Plan) with respect to the different areas of the port or group of them or terminals not yet used.”

However, to carry out the relocation, Asipona Manzanillo requires SSA Marine Mexico to make a minimum investment of 800 million dollars (mdd) applicable to preliminary studies and the construction work carried out by the American company in the development of the transition project to the port of Laguna de Cuyutlán, where it would go from the current 35 hectares to almost 90 hectares, similar to those of TEC II, operated by Contecon Manzanillo .

With this relocation, the port authority expects to alleviate Manzanillo’s ongoing congestion problems and allow it to reorganize the port with the 1,500 meters of dock and 35 hectares of storage space that SSA Marine Mexico would make available at TEC I of the Port of San Pedrito (current Port of Manzanillo).

TEC I is the main container terminal in the port of Colima. Last year alone, it handled a total of 1,724,906 TEUs , representing 43.9% of the total TEUs handled in the port, according to statistics from the General Coordination of Ports and Merchant Marine (CGPMM) , an office of the Ministry of Marine Affairs (SEMARNAT).

The document highlights that over the past 10 years, volumes recorded at the Port of Manzanillo have been steadily increasing, with no opportunity to expand the port’s infrastructure to meet the demand for services , which has posed a challenge for maintaining operational efficiency.

In the last decade, the handling of cargo increased from 25.2 million tons in 2015 to 31.4 million tons in 2024, particularly in the case of containers, which increased from 18.1 million tons of containerized cargo to 23.58 million tons, which in container boxes represents increasing from 2.54 million 20-foot containers (TEU) in 2015 to 3.9 million TEU last year.

The document, held by T21, highlights the following advantages of relocating SSA’s TEC I to the Laguna de Cuyutlán port:

1. Streamline port operations and maintain the efficiency and functionality of port operations and facilities at the Port of San Pedrito (subordinated to the Port of Manzanillo).
2. Immediate development and operation of the Laguna de Cuyutlán port, so that from its inception and as soon as possible, it will have the infrastructure of a competitive port terminal that efficiently meets the demand for port services.
3. Under the assumptions of the agreement, and the timeframes analyzed for accelerated planning and development, the new TEC I will be established and operational in the fourth quarter of 2029 in Laguna de Cuyutlán.
4. Ensure an orderly and rapid transition to the port of Laguna de Cuyutlán, maintaining the competitiveness of its operations and their costs, which impact the price and availability of imported or exported goods for the consumer or producer population.
5. Dimension and equip the new terminal with automated technology and systems to optimize operational efficiency, minimize response times, improve cargo handling capacity, ensure safety, and reduce CO2 emissions by prioritizing rail transport and reducing the margin for road transport.
6. Achieve the new TEC I to handle at least 2.5 million TEUs  by 2037.
7. Maintain the continuity of operations throughout the Manzanillo-San Pedrito-Laguna de Cuyutlán port system.
8. Maintaining the growth of the container business line , allowing for the funding of the development of inland navigation facilities, which has naturally been determined as the vocation of the Manzanillo system to go from handling 3.9 million TEUs annually to more than 10 million.
9. Generate 4,731 new jobs with the relocation of TEC I, both in its construction and with the reorganization of the southeastern San Pedrito area.
10. Inject an estimated investment of US$800 million into the port of Laguna de Cuyutlán for construction works that will benefit Asipona.
11. Seek financing mechanisms to provide infrastructure and service delivery for the hectares that TEC I will use at the new location.
12. Obtain a substantial increase in the amounts of the fixed and variable consideration from TEC I, as a result of the increase in the surface area subject to the transfer at the new location in the port of Cuyutlán and the growth in the number of containers that TEC I will move at the new location.

Likewise, the document also indicates that Asipona Manzanillo will propose to the owner of TEC I that he initiate the necessary steps, studies, and actions to carry out the relocation of its specialized terminal under the following requirements:

1. Carry out the relevant procedures in coordination with this Asipona Manzanillo and with the authorization of the competent port authority to ensure an orderly, coordinated, and expeditious transition to the port of Laguna de Cuyutlán.
2. Make a minimum committed investment of US$800 million for preliminary studies and construction work carried out by SSA Marine for the development of the transition project to the port of Laguna de Cuyutlán.
3. Maintain payments of the corresponding considerations for the areas currently operated, in accordance with the transition schedule and in adherence to the currently established amounts and their corresponding updates, maintaining the level playing field established by Asipona Manzanillo between container terminals.
4. Begin payments of the corresponding consideration for the areas to be built and operated , in accordance with the transition schedule and in adherence to the currently established amounts and their corresponding updates, maintaining the level playing field established by Asipona Manzanillo between container terminals.
5. Determine, through financial analysis, the necessary timeframe to cover infrastructure investment costs , consideration payments, operating expenses, and expected profitability.

The Asipona Manzanillo document does not clarify whether other terminals could be invited to participate in the same relocation process to the port of Cuyutlán, as Contecon Manzanillo, or whether a future bidding process will continue to be considered for the other three terminals considered in the federal government’s project.

Cuyutlán Lagoon has an area of ​​water and land four times larger than the current port area , which is expected to meet the constant growth in demand for the movement of goods, mainly imports, which on several occasions has exceeded the supply of private infrastructure and logistics services.

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El cargo Cuyutlán already has its first tenant; they propose relocating SSA to Nuevo Manzanillo. apareció primero en T21.

Tempers are high at Contecon Manzanillo . The second busiest maritime terminal for handling containers in the port of Colima ended 2024 with the best record in its history .

It only totaled 1,454,201 20-foot containers (TEU) , which also meant a growth of 14.0% compared to the 2023 figure, according to the port’s official statistics.

There is no doubt that, among the ports of Mexico, Manzanillo has been in the “eye of the hurricane” in recent years , with blockades and protests by truckers, collapse of surrounding roads, failures in customs systems, anchored ships, among other types of problems that have not gone unnoticed by importers and exporters.

No wonder. It is the country’s main port for handling containerized goods , and last year alone it handled 39.8% of the national total, with just over 23.5 million tons; but if the calculation is made by number of containers, it handled 41.8% of the national total, with three million 924 thousand 515 TEU.

“2024 was a very important year of consolidation and growth for us,” José Antonio Contreras, general manager of Contecon Manzanillo, part of the Philippine company International Container Terminal Services (ICTSI) , which has been operating the Specialized Container Terminal (TEC) II for 11 years, told T21.

Contreras, who has been in charge of TEC II since August 2021, referred in an interview to three specific points that drove the terminal’s growth in 2024: greater integration with its clients in the consolidation of cargo through Manzanillo; the strengthening of the use of the railroad ; and the start-up of part of the terminal’s expansion, along with the integration of new equipment (cranes).

In fact, the director stressed that this year the company will go all out on the railway issue , since one of its main objectives is to increase the evacuation of containers via the train tracks, in collaboration with its partner Ferromex .

“In the last four years we have increased the movement of containers by rail by 127%,” according to José Antonio Contreras.

Currently, TEC II, the only terminal in the port of Manzanillo with its own intermodal facility (for now with 2,200 linear meters of railway tracks) , has a daily schedule of two 60-car trains, which can transport up to 120 containers each.

Contecon Manzanillo’s plan for 2025 is to increase its track to 4.6 kilometers , which will allow it to operate three trains of 120 cars each. The investment here will be around eight million dollars.

“At the end of 2024, we will begin phase III-B (expansion). And the intermodal part is included in this,” said José Antonio Contreras, and estimated that the expansion of its routes would end in September of this year. “They will go directly to the final destination, as you know, mainly the Valley of Mexico, Guadalajara, and we will increase our penetration in the north of the country, (such as) Nuevo Laredo,” he said.

Likewise, Contreras predicted that the expansion of its tracks would trigger the block train services that have been developed since the beginning of 2023.

Expansion in process

At the end of September last year, Contecon Manzanillo announced the opening of three new container yards, which are part of its expansion project (phase III) and with which it increased its capacity by just over 200 thousand additional TEUs per year. In addition, a fourth yard is expected to come into operation in the coming months.

“The terminal is now approaching 1.7 million containers capacity,” said Contreras.

The TEC II expansion, which began in December 2022, also includes the extension of 400 meters of dock (to reach a total of 1.3 kilometers of dock with the capacity to serve up to three 400-meter ships) , 900 plugs for reefers (temperature-controlled containers), the acquisition of two super post-panamax dock cranes and another six RTGs. All this under an estimated investment of 300 million dollars.

With the adjustments, the terminal will have the capacity to operate between 2.3 and 2.4 million TEUs, and “with which Manzanillo will be able to breathe ,” according to the executive.

The collective outlook is for the port to continue increasing its activity in container handling , mainly in import cargo, where Asia, especially China, has contributed to this trend.

Meanwhile, the port community of Manzanillo has been aware of the problems and has worked on different strategies, together with the port authorities, to try to speed up cargo movements, such as changes in its operating rules, investment in a second access in the northern area of ​​the port, and extension of customs hours, among others.

But the main bet to recover the competitiveness of this port in the handling of containerized merchandise was announced last year. President Claudia Sheinbaum gave the initial flag for the construction of what was called Nuevo Manzanillo, which is the expansion of the port towards the Cuyutlán lagoon , which exceeds four times the area (sea and land) of the current port, and where the entire maritime-logistical sector has set its sights on getting a part of what will be developed there: four specialized container terminals, of which two of them are expected to come into operation by 2030.

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El cargo Contecon Manzanillo activates phase III-B of the Expansion Project apareció primero en T21.

The total volume of merchandise operated by the port of Manzanillo during 2024 amounted to 33 million 572 thousand 428 tons – including petroleum products -, 0.8% less compared to the 2023 record, according to statistics from the National Port System Administration (Asipona) Manzanillo .

Excluding petroleum products, commercial cargo totaled 31,408,624 tons last year, down 0.2% from a year earlier.

Within this last data, imports showed an annual increase of 6.6%, with 19 million 865 thousand 730 tons; while exports increased by 8.5%, with 5 million 247 thousand 136 tons.

Meanwhile, transshipment activity registered a fall of 15.4%, with 4,946,144 tons according to the comparison periods; while cabotage did so by -37.9%, with a total of 1,349,613 tons of merchandise operated.

By type of cargo, general loose cargo totaled two million 083 thousand 847 tons in 2024 or 11.7% more than a year earlier; containerized cargo accumulated 23 million 580 thousand 193 tons (+4.3%); agricultural bulk one million 690 thousand 485 tons (-3.9%) and mineral bulk four million 054 thousand 098 tons (-22.8%).

Loading in TEU

In terms of container movement, in 2024 the port of Manzanillo handled a total of 3,924,501 20-foot containers (TEU, a maritime measurement unit), or 6.1% more compared to 2023, according to data from the local port authority.

Imports totaled 1,698,352 TEUs (+12.2%) , exports 1,627,636 TEUs and transshipments 598,513 TEUs (-0.2%).

It is worth remembering that at the end of November last year, the President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, gave the starting signal for the construction of what was called Nuevo Manzanillo, in the Cuyutlán lagoon , a new area of ​​port terminals that will be focused on the movement of containers, a measure that has been taken as part of the efforts to support the constant growth in the number of TEUs in the port, and which has put all participants in these movements in check by registering different operational saturations during the year.

In this annual report, Asipona Manzanillo indicated that during 2024, the entry of one million 181 thousand 230 trucks was recorded , or 8% more compared to the previous year. A little more than four thousand trucks enter the port daily.

Regarding the number of ship arrivals, the authority has a record of 1,545 commercial vessels in 2024 or 12.8% less than a year earlier, most of them were container ships with 1,128 or 12.6% less.

The lower number of this type of vessel is explained by the decision of shipping companies to place ships with greater draft , which allows them to transport a greater number of containers.

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El cargo Manzanillo Port Handles 0.8% Less Cargo in 2024 apareció primero en T21.

MANZANILLO, COL.- The Government of Mexico is on the verge of announcing the New Manzanillo , which will become one of the major infrastructure projects of President Claudia Sheinbaum’s six-year term.

This is the expansion of the port of Manzanillo towards the Cuyutlán Lagoon, which has an area of ​​water and land four times larger than the current port area , and which is expected to meet the constant growth rate of demand for movement of goods, mainly imports, which on several occasions has exceeded the supply of private infrastructure and logistics services.

“This work is specifically designed for the handling of containers, (with) terminals specialized in the handling of containers and hydrocarbons,” said Julieta Juárez, Commercial Director of the Administration of the National Port System (Asipona) Manzanillo .

Among the information that the official provided to a small group of journalists is that, in a first phase of construction, Nuevo Manzanillo will consider two specialized container terminals , a perimeter wall, facilities for a new customs office, internal roads and the interconnection with the railroad.

A second phase of construction would add two more specialized container terminals.

“ CFE (Federal Electricity Commission) is also working on a very important energy supply project that will guarantee that our port (Nuevo Manzanillo) is supplied with electricity as much as needed,” said Juárez.

He also stated that the Asipona Manzanillo is currently studying the depth of the navigation channels of the Cuyutlán Lagoon, where it is expected to have a draft of at least 18 meters or, if it does not reach this level, to begin dredging works.

This would allow Nuevo Manzanillo to handle larger vessels than those currently docking at the port with a length of almost 400 meters that require a draft of 15 meters.

“We are not going to leave aside the port of Manzanillo, the port of Manzanillo will continue to grow,” said Juárez.

On November 23, Claudia Sheinbaum , President of Mexico, is expected to give the green light to start construction of Nuevo Manzanillo, a project that had been planned for years by various federal governments.

Port data

During the first 10 months of this year, the port of Manzanillo, the largest commercial port in the country, had accumulated the handling of three million 252 thousand 635 20-foot containers (TEU for its acronym in English) , which meant a growth of 6.6% compared to the same period last year, according to Asipona statistics.

Regarding the origin of this activity, imports accounted for 43% , exports 42% and transshipments represented 15%.

In fact, during October the record for monthly TEU operations for the year was reached, with 340,837 containers.

In addition, in the period from January to October 2024, the port of Manzanillo has received a total of 1,454 vessels , of which 936 have been container ships, which corresponds to 64 percent.

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El cargo Claudia Sheinbaum to Inaugurate the New Manzanillo Project apareció primero en T21.