Pacific International Lines (PIL) has made a key change in its Mexican operations. Brenda Santiago has assumed the general management of the shipping company in the country , at a time when the maritime market is facing operational pressures, tariff adjustments, and increasingly intense competition on the Asia-Mexico route.

The announcement was made by the executive herself through her LinkedIn profile , where she stated that she is starting “a new chapter” in her professional career.

“I am pleased to share that I am beginning a new chapter as Managing Director for Mexico at PIL Pacific International Lines (PTE) Ltd.,” she posted. The transition, she explained, comes after “many years in a role that shaped me both professionally and personally.”

The message also reveals the tone of the challenge she is taking on. “It’s a role that comes with real challenges, and I’m ready for it ,” she added, in an environment where shipping companies have had to adjust their strategies in the face of volatile demand and cost pressures.

In terms of experience, Santiago comes to this position with a background in global shipping companies, particularly CMA CGM , where he has developed his career in various roles within the maritime business , with exposure to both the Mexican market and international operations. His profile also reflects active participation in business development and training initiatives within the logistics sector.

Although the strategic priorities under this new leadership have not been publicly detailed, the move comes at a time when Mexico remains a relevant market within the transpacific network, particularly due to its connection with Asia and the dynamism of its imports.

The change in local management is part of a strategy the company itself has been developing in recent years. According to an analysis published by T21 magazine in its June 2025 edition , PIL has focused on expanding its presence in Latin America , with Mexico as one of its priority markets.

After overcoming a financial restructuring process prior to the pandemic – which included the entry of Heliconia Capital, from the Temasek group of Singapore, as majority shareholder – the shipping company resumed an expansion plan focused on the region, according to what was said at the time by Andrés Poveda, the former general manager in Mexico of PIL .

In that context, the company decided to strengthen its direct presence in key markets such as Brazil, Mexico, Peru and Guatemala , leaving behind a model more dependent on agents to assume strategic functions such as commercial relations, customer service and operational management.

The stakes are high. PIL ranks as the twelfth largest shipping company in the world , with a capacity of 442,216 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) and a fleet of 99 container ships, according to Alphaliner. This scale allows it to compete on key routes, although it still lags behind the global giants of the sector.

In Mexico, the company has sought to position itself with services focused on the Asia-Pacific route , both through alliances and with its own routes that connect ports such as Manzanillo and Lázaro Cárdenas .

Within that plan, the company has even set specific market share targets, seeking to reach between 4% and 5% in Mexican Pacific ports , a territory dominated by large global players.

A relay that tests the strategy

In this context, Brenda Santiago’s arrival as general manager in Mexico not only represents an organizational change, but also a test for PIL’s growth strategy in one of the most competitive markets in maritime trade.

The challenge will be clear: to transform the expansion planned in recent years into a more robust operation , closer to the customer and capable of gaining ground in an environment where scale, reliability and service make the difference.

Comment and follow us on LinkedIn:  @Enrique Duarte Rionda  /  @GrupoT21

El cargo PIL changes course in Mexico apareció primero en T21.

Land in sight! The shipping company Pacific International Lines (PIL) has developed a navigation plan that will allow it to enter key markets for its container shipping business in Latin America.

A year ago, the company opened its own offices in Brazil, Mexico – the two largest economies in the region -, Peru and Guatemala, a strategic change of direction that has been taken by senior management after a financial crisis that led to an internal restructuring prior to the pandemic, in which it received a capital injection from Heliconia Capital , of the Temasek Group , owned by the Singapore government, who took a majority stake in the company and the rest was distributed among the family that founded the business in 1967.

As the financial crisis period has emerged, largely due to the profits achieved during the health crisis, the shipping business has been going from strength to strength. CEO Lars Kastrup, a seasoned shipping industry executive, delivered financial results last year with significant positive margins for the company .

This boom for PIL has given it the confidence to plan the opening of new offices and grow its business in the Latin American market, where China plays an active role in imports from most countries in the region. In Mexico alone, last year, the Asian giant reached a 22% share of non-oil imports, according to data from the Bank of Mexico.

Andrés Poveda, PIL’s general manager in Mexico, commented in an interview with T21 that the shipping company’s presence in the country dates back 13 years, through its shipping agent, Maritimex . However, the navigation plan includes resuming documentation , commercial relations, customer service, intermodal services, transit services to customs within the country , among others.

Comment and follow us on X: @EnriqueDuRio / @GrupoT21

El cargo The landing of PIL apareció primero en T21.