Port Laredo was recognized with two Platinum awards at the 2025 MarCom Awards , the highest distinction in creativity and communication internationally, thanks to its “Hot City–Cold Chain” campaign , an initiative that positions the inland port of Laredo as a leader in cold chain logistics in North America.

“This campaign is not just creative, it’s strategic. It communicates to the world that Port Laredo can handle temperature-sensitive products with the same reliability as a seaport,” highlighted Felipe G. Romero , Marketing Manager of Port Laredo.

Launched amid a municipal budget moratorium , the campaign successfully amplified the port’s importance in refrigerated and temperature-controlled trade. According to Trade Numbers data , trade in perishable goods through Port Laredo reached $11.25 billion in 2024, an 8.28% increase over the previous year.

During 2025, from January to July:

• Avocado imports increased 33.67%, with an additional value of $228.85 million.
• The port consolidated its position as the national leader in pork exports , accounting for 18.5% of the total for the United States and an accumulated growth of 70% since 2021, reaching $677.61 million.
• It also ranked first in frozen vegetable imports , with 30.82% of the national total, more than double the share of any other US port.

The campaign included bilingual messages, binational digital advertising, editorial materials, and strategic pieces for trade shows, investors, and executive presentations , strengthening Port Laredo’s presence in international forums.

“Laredo’s success is based on binational collaboration. Every container, truck, and shipment that crosses our bridges represents jobs, opportunities, and shared prosperity,” said Mayor Victor D. Treviño , noting that this recognition reaffirms Port Laredo as the gateway to the Western Hemisphere .

The MarCom Awards are one of the most prestigious competitions in the field of marketing and communications, receiving over 6,500 entries annually from more than 40 countries . With its two Platinum awards, Port Laredo joins this elite group of brands distinguished by their creative and strategic excellence .

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Port Laredo , the largest inland port in the United States, participated in the  Global Produce & Floral Show in Anaheim, California, where it presented its “ Hot City, Cold Chain” campaign , focused on the port’s competitive advantages in maintaining the most efficient cold chain between Mexico and the United States .

Felipe Romero, Marketing Manager for Port Laredo, emphasized that one of his goals is to connect with customers.

“Laredo combines the energy and warmth of the border with cutting-edge technology in refrigeration and logistics processes. Our goal is to connect with producers, exporters, and investors interested in strengthening their supply chains with faster, safer, and more sustainable solutions,” he said.

During the exhibition, Port Laredo also promoted the Laredo–Nuevo León–Tamaulipas–Colombia logistics corridor as key to international trade and highlighted its attributes such as more than 20 thousand daily commercial crossings, 20 refrigerated warehouses with more than 1.5 million cubic feet of capacity , joint inspections between Customs and Border Protection (CBP) of the United States and the National Customs Agency of Mexico (ANAM) , Foreign Trade zone FTZ 94 with tax incentives, among others.

Arnold Lozano, Director of Economic Development for the City of Laredo, stated that this participation positions “Laredo as the logistics heart of North America and a key partner for the Mexican agribusiness,” in addition to strengthening  regional competitiveness .

The Port Laredo delegation that participated in the exhibition was made up of representatives from the City of Laredo Economic Development Department , the International Bridge System, the Laredo International Airport , and allies such as Garros Inc. , the Nuevo Laredo Customs Brokers Association (ALFA) , and the Nuevo León Border Zone Development Corporation (Codefront) –Puerto Colombia–Laredo.

The Global Produce & Floral Show , which took place from October 16-18, is one of the most important exhibitions in North America for the fresh produce, perishables and cold logistics industry .

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Last July, the Laredo border port positioned itself as the main international trade point for the United States, accounting for 6.48% of the total trade between the United States and its trading partners.

In the seventh month of the year, Laredo traded $30.29 billion , which was comprised of $19.59 billion in imports from the United States, while exports from this country through this port totaled $10.7 billion, according to data from Port Laredo .

A review of total trade showed a 6.9% increase compared to the same month in 2024. This was the result of a 9.8% increase in imports from the United States, while exports grew 1.9%.

Of the trade carried out by the Port of Laredo, 97.21% is with Mexico , generating $29.4 billion in trade transactions.

The top five products exported by Laredo are auto parts (10.27%), gasoline and other fuels (3.11%), parts for civil aircraft (2.95%), engine parts (2.20%) and diesel engines (2.20%).

Meanwhile, the five main products imported through this port were computers (14.31%), engine parts (10.87%), passenger vehicles (8.02%), cell phones and parts (4.56%), and commercial vehicles (3.12%).

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The Laredo border port is one of the fundamental pillars of trade between Mexico and the United States, consolidating itself as the land port with the highest volume of commercial exchange in North America, due to its strategic location on the border between Texas and Tamaulipas, although on the Mexican side it also connects with Nuevo León,which positions it as an essential logistics node for global supply chains.

This port not only facilitates 60% of trade between Texas and Mexico , but is also responsible for nearly 40% of total trade between Mexico and the United States , handling products ranging from industrial manufactures to consumer goods.

According to data from the United States Customs and Border Protection Office (CBP) , Laredo processes between 15,000 and 20,000 truck crossings daily, representing an annual commercial value of more than 300 billion dollars.

Alma L. Saldaña Cruz, Marketing Manager of Port Laredo , highlighted in an interview that these numbers underline the relevance of the border port not only for the regional economy, but for the economic integration of North America.

“Commerce in Port Laredo not only connects two countries, it connects industries and communities in a unique model of economic interdependence,” he said.

The Laredo border port has a robust infrastructure that includes four international bridges : the World Trade Bridge, the Colombia-Solidaridad Bridge, the Juárez-Lincoln Bridge and the Bridge of the Americas. Of these, the World Trade Bridge is the main one for cargo transportation, equipped with multiple lanes and advanced technological systems that allow for streamlined vehicular flow.

Technological innovations include dynamic scales that weigh trucks in motion, reducing waiting times without compromising accuracy.

High and low radiation X-ray inspection systems are also used , which eliminate the need for manual inspections in many cases, optimizing safety and efficiency.

Additionally, Port Laredo has more than 53 million square feet of warehouse space spread across nearly 60 industrial parks , facilitating the handling and distribution of goods.

On the other hand, its airport, with 24/7 operations, complements the needs of air trade, offering dual cargo inspection for exports to Mexico and other international markets.

The adoption of cutting-edge technologies is not only limited to physical infrastructure, but also to operational processes.

The FAST ( Free and Secure Trade ) program , part of the CTPAT initiative, allows certified companies to cross more quickly by ensuring high security standards in their supply chains.

Jerry Maldonado, president of the Laredo Motor Carrier Association (LMCA) , told T21 that Port Laredo is an innovation laboratory for the United States government.

“New technologies are tested here before being implemented elsewhere, because the volume of traffic allows us to identify problems and solutions quickly,” he explained.

Port Laredo is in a strategic expansion phase to meet the demands of projected commercial growth.

According to Maldonado, cargo volume will increase by an average of 5% to 7% annually over the next five years.

To respond to this growth, significant investments are being made in infrastructure, such as the expansion of the World Trade Bridge , which will increase its capacity by 1,500 daily crossings.

This project, which includes environmental studies and urban planning, is expected to be completed in December 2027.

Additionally, new access roads are being developed to ease traffic congestion in Laredo’s urban areas and facilitate more efficient flow to the international bridges.

Economic and social impact

The impact of Port Laredo goes beyond the economic, as the port generates thousands of direct and indirect jobs in the region , strengthening sectors such as transportation, logistics and commerce.

According to research from the Texas A&M Transportation Institute , each day of delay at the border crossing can cost businesses millions of dollars due to the cumulative impact on supply chains.

“Efficiency in Port Laredo is not just a benefit for carriers, it is an economic driver that affects the entire region,” Maldonado said.

Port Laredo is not only an example of logistics efficiency, but also a model of long-term strategic planning, and investments in technology, infrastructure and security programs reflect a commitment to remain competitive in an ever-evolving business environment.

“The port is vital to North America’s trade and economy. Our challenge is to anticipate the future, investing today in solutions that will allow us to continue leading tomorrow,” said Maldonado.

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In the cumulative period from January to July 2024, the port of Laredo recorded a trade exchange of 194.47 billion dollars (mdd), that is, an increase of 5.07% compared to the same cycle in 2023. In this context, imports to the United States from Mexico were 119.97 billion dollars, while exports to Mexico were in the order of 74.61 billion dollars.

This volume of operations places the Port of Laredo as the main border port, while contributing 6.2% of the total trade of the United States, only behind the Port of Los Angeles, which contributes 6.6 percent.

Although manufactured goods are the main products exchanged through this border port, Port Laredo has implemented a series of actions to boost refrigerated cargo trade between Mexico and the United States.

For this reason, Port Laredo works with the National Service for Health, Safety and Agri-Food Quality (SENASICA) to carry out joint inspections, which means that exporters can use special lanes on the Colombia-Laredo Bridge, said David González, Chief Agriculture Specialist of Port Laredo.

“To participate in these programs, the exporter needs to be in the CTPAT and the truck operators in the FAST (Free and Secure Trade Program),” said González.

In an interview with T21, he mentioned that interested companies must register with Mexican customs to participate in the joint inspection program.

He mentions that the road connection also allows for direct connectivity , and also has a partial rejection program where if any merchandise has a pest, only that product is not allowed to continue its entry.

“This has saved companies nearly six million dollars since 2019, because part of the shipment is saved and only what is contaminated is returned to Mexico. The Department of Agriculture told us that as long as the product is sealed in plastic bags, the maneuver to return the product to Mexico can be done without problem,” shared David González.

Cargo inspection is carried out in warehouses to ensure that the cold chain is not broken. Products handled include broccoli, celery, salad ingredients, flowers, tomatoes, among others.

“It’s not that they need the cold chain, but that they want to use the cold room, which is between five thousand and 10 thousand shipments a year. Normally we see about 20 to 25 shipments a day in the cold rooms,” said the Chief Agriculture Specialist of Port Laredo.

He said there are already plans to carry out an expansion , due to the expansion actions being carried out for the second Laredo bridge, which will mean an increase in foreign trade to the United States.

Currently, Port Laredo has six platforms for the cold chain, although they are not fully used. “There is the possibility of expanding and making something larger and with more technology to maintain the cold chain. We have the cold rooms, but the truck operator needs to open the doors and get close to the cold part and when this is done by opening the truck door, the heat enters and warms the product, not much. There is technology that allows the doors to be opened when the truck is next to the room and that is what we have on the Colombia bridge,” González described.

With the expansion of the bridges, work is being done to cope with the expected growth in cargo inspections. It is important to maintain the cold chain so that the product has a longer shelf life in the supermarket.

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