In February 2026, the movement of vehicles through the main Mexican ports registered a drop of 20.9% compared to the same month in 2025, with a total of 119,711 units, according to figures from the National Port System of the Secretariat of the Navy (Semar) .

An analysis by T21 Business Intelligence showed that 9,218 units were moved through the port of Mazatlán, Sinaloa, in the second month of the year , 39.4% less than in the same period of 2025. Meanwhile, Lázaro Cárdenas, Michoacán, experienced a decline in vehicle traffic in February 2026, with 36,955 units , representing a decrease of 23.3% compared to the same month last year.

The port of Tuxpan, in Veracruz, handled 2,833 units , 22.2% fewer than in February 2025. Altamira, Tamaulipas, registered a 17.4% drop in vehicles handled during the second month of 2026, with 28,176 units. The port of Veracruz reported a 15.2% year-over-year decrease , totaling 42,529 units handled during the period.

The cumulative total for January-February 2026 showed a decline of 4.4% compared to the same period in 2025, with an operation of 256,936 vehicles.

During the period, two ports reported growth. Mazatlán showed a 30.7% increase compared to the same period in 2015, with 31,864 vehicles handled. Veracruz, for its part, saw a 13.8% increase in the first two months of the year , totaling 89,413 units operated.

In contrast, Tuxpan saw a 48.8% drop in the cumulative total for 2026 compared to the same period in 2025, with 2,833 units transported. Lázaro Cárdenas declined by 20.1%, totaling 81,514 units operated in the first two months of 2026. Altamira experienced an 11.8% year-on-year contraction , registering 51,312 units.

Regarding the participation by port in February 2026, Veracruz concentrated the largest number of vehicles moved with 36%, followed by Lázaro Cárdenas with 31%, Altamira with 24%, Mazatlán with 8% and Tuxpan with 2 percent.

In February 2026, 311,457 units were produced in the country , 1.80% less than in the same period last year. In the January-February period of this year , automotive plants located in Mexico manufactured  625,774 light vehicles , representing a  negative variation of 0.58%  compared to the same period in 2025.

Meanwhile, during the first two months of 2026, Mexico exported 485,426 light vehicles , a figure that implied a  growth of 1.36% compared to the same period in 2025, despite the annual drop of 4.45% that exports registered in February, with 247,945 vehicles, according to the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi) .

Comment and follow us on LinkedIn:  @GrupoT21

El cargo Vehicle traffic through Mexican ports falls in February apareció primero en T21.

Retired Admiral Julio César Pescina Ávila was appointed this Friday as general director of the National Port System Administration (Asipona) Mazatlán , in a designation that reinforces the presence of high-ranking naval profiles at the head of Mexico’s port operations

With this appointment, the Secretariat of the Navy (Semar) maintains the current management line of the national port system, characterized by the designation of profiles from the naval field, in a context in which Mexican ports face greater demands in terms of operational control, efficiency and logistical competitiveness.

Pescina Ávila has a distinguished career within the Mexican Navy. Between May and October 2024, he served as Undersecretary of the Navy, in addition to holding positions such as Rector of the Naval University , Commander of the Sixth and Twelfth Naval Regions, Director of the Naval Engineering School, and Head of the Naval Intelligence Unit. His profile combines operational command, academic training, and strategic planning, attributes that have been key in the recent reconfiguration of the country’s maritime and port governance.

In the academic field, he is a graduate of the Heroic Naval Military School and holds a master’s degree and completed the General Staff Course at the Center for Higher Naval Studies, where he graduated first in his class. He also completed diplomas in National Security, Political Analysis, and Human Rights at the National Autonomous University of Mexico and the Center for Economic Research and Teaching. Throughout his career, he has received numerous national and international decorations.

The arrival of the new director comes at a time of moderate growth for the Port of Mazatlán. From January to November 2025, the terminal handled 4.24 million tons of cargo, a 4.1% increase compared to the same period in 2024. In container handling, the port registered 42,441 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), representing an 8.2% year-over-year increase, while the automotive sector showed a 4.5% contraction, with 148,560 new vehicles handled, according to data from the Ports and Merchant Marine Unit of the Mexican Navy (Semar).

With this change in the general management, Asipona Mazatlán begins a new stage under a leadership with strong naval roots , at a time when the port seeks to consolidate its operational growth, strengthen its regional role in the Pacific and align itself with the strategic priorities of the national port system.

Comment and follow us on X: @GrupoT21

El cargo Julio César Pescina Ávila assumes the directorship of Asipona Mazatlán apareció primero en T21.