In a move that reinforces its commitment to modernizing the Mexican port system, Grupo CICE added two multipurpose rail cranes to the equipment of its Semi-Specialized Container and Project Cargo Terminal in the North Bay of the port of Veracruz, consolidating an additional phase of expansion that responds to the growing logistical demands of foreign trade.

Last Monday, January 19, the vessel UHL FELICITY arrived at the port terminal carrying the components for the new Liebherr P180 LS cranes , whose assembly is scheduled to be completed during the first quarter of this year. Subsequently, the units will enter their operational testing and performance evaluation phase before being formally integrated into the vessel handling system before the end of the second quarter.

These cranes represent a significant advancement for the terminal: they have a safe lifting capacity of 65 tons, can operate up to 80 tons in Twin Lift mode or even 100 tons in Tandem configuration, and can handle up to 20 rows of containers, enabling them to service large-scale container ships. Furthermore, they incorporate remote operating systems (ROS) and energy recovery technology (Active Front End) , elements that pave the way for more efficient and competitive operations.

The integration of this equipment – which will coexist with the already operational multipurpose rubber-tired cranes from manufacturers such as Liebherr and Konecranes-Gottwald – is part of an operational flexibility strategy that seeks to optimize the maneuvering of ships and the provision of port services, both for containerized cargo and for project cargo.

This development takes place within the framework of the second stage of the Semi-Specialized Container and Cargo Terminal Project , whose commissioning was announced in December 2025 and involved the enabling of an eight thousand square meter (m²) CFS warehouse, 350 connections for refrigerated containers and 570 additional positions for storage, aimed at streamlining cargo flows both LCL and FCL and improving entry and exit times under customs standards.

The terminal, which covers an area of ​​more than 22 hectares with 550 linear meters of dock and dynamic capacity to handle hundreds of thousands of 20-foot containers (TEU), has been conceived from its origin as a key component to strengthen the competitiveness of the port of Veracruz , one of the most important logistics hubs in Mexico due to its connectivity with markets in Europe, South America and the east coast of the United States.

This momentum is also anchored in the broader context of the logistics sector, where Veracruz seeks to consolidate its position as a modern hub for port services in response to structural pressures such as nearshoring and the demand for more resilient and efficient supply chains. Within this framework, the expansion of Bahía Norte is seen not only as a physical expansion, but also as a strategic reconfiguration of the port space that enables greater operational capacity without compromising safety standards or service times.

The arrival of the new cranes is part of a series of investments and expansions by Grupo CICE that began with the commissioning of the first phase in April 2025. This next phase positions the Bahía Norte terminal as a leading player in national port competitiveness. In an environment where operational efficiency is increasingly demanded by global supply chains, the modernization of infrastructure and equipment—such as that promoted by Grupo CICE—translates into a tangible improvement in the port’s capacity to respond to growing volumes of international trade .

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El cargo CICE strengthens Veracruz with new equipment and accelerates the expansion of Bahía Norte apareció primero en T21.

The port of Manzanillo in Colima, Mexico’s largest maritime trade port , suffered one of its most severe operational crises between May and June due to a labor dispute that partially paralyzed its activities and whose consequences are already reflected in its figures.

In May of this year, the port recorded the movement of 298,923 20-foot containers (TEU) , the lowest monthly figure so far in 2025. This is the first time this year that the volume has fallen below 300,000 TEU , after having reached a maximum of 337,670 operations in March.

On May 12, workers at the Manzanillo customs office began a series of demonstrations and work stoppages to denounce alleged labor abuse and unjustified dismissals. These protests continued until May 16, when they were evicted by authorities.

Although the protests lasted only four days, they were enough to destabilize operations at the port . As of May 20, the port was operating with only five inspectors. On June 12, Contecon Manzanillo  announced that, together with  Mexico’s National Customs Agency (ANAM) , they would activate extended 24-hour hours at the Manzanillo customs office for three days to “address peak demand . “

Port rhythm in the country

Despite its internal conflicts, the Port of Manzanillo continues to lead the nation in the number of port operations. However, it registered the steepest decline in May 2025, with a 10.4% drop compared to the same month in 2024. It was followed by the Port of Altamira, Tamaulipas, with a 3% reduction. In contrast, Lázaro Cárdenas, Michoacán, reported a 12.6% growth , while Ensenada, Baja California, registered a 6.2% increase, based on data from the Ministry of the Navy (Semar) .

From January to May, the port of Manzanillo recorded 1.59 million operations , followed by the port of Lázaro Cárdenas with 1.028 million; the port of Veracruz with 509,427; Altamira with 373,428; and Ensenada with 170,576 operations.

However, the port that saw the greatest annual growth in accumulated operations was Lázaro Cárdenas, with an increase of 12.9% , followed by Altamira, Tamaulipas, with 2.3%; while the port of Veracruz recorded the largest decline, with a contraction of 4.6%, followed by Manzanillo, with a decrease of 1%.

The recent crisis in Manzanillo not only highlighted the operational fragility of Mexico’s most important port in the face of conflicts, but also raised alarm bells about the need to modernize its processes to maintain operations. While the ports of Lázaro Cárdenas and Ensenada benefited from what happened in Manzanillo , the challenge for this port will be to demonstrate that its leadership depends not only on its numbers, but also on its ability to manage and overcome crises like those of last May.

(Main image source: @ASIPONA_Man ) .

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El cargo Port panorama: Lázaro Cárdenas and Ensenada grow, Manzanillo declines apareció primero en T21.

During the month of August, the Average Time Index for Motor Transport in Ports (ITPAP) registered a notable improvement compared to the previous month, falling by 56%, from 29 hours and 45 minutes to 13 hours and 7 minutes. Among the reasons that could explain this reduction, it is worth noting that during the eighth month of the year, the National Customs Agency of Mexico (ANAM) did not suffer system outages, as it did a month before. Also, the fact that ports such as Manzanillo, the busiest in the national port system, extended the operating hours of its customs to compensate for the inconveniences that collapsed the port at the end of July and a higher level of operations.

Although the decrease in times in the eighth month is positive, compared to the data from the previous month, the indicator is still far from the most efficient times recorded in this first year of measurement, in the months of March and May, when the index was just 3.9 hours.

It should be noted that, although cargo volumes in August were higher than those moved during the third and fifth months of the year, these were only 21.9 and 15.76% higher, respectively; while the times more than double the standard that the logistics links reached in those months when they were more efficient. In short, there should be the capacity and processes to make the operation of auto transport in ports even more efficient , and thus positively impact the logistics costs that we have as a country.

The ITPAP is a measurement carried out by the T21 Business Intelligence unit of the travel and waiting times of trucking units in the four main ports of the country (Altamira, Veracruz, Manzanillo and Lázaro Cárdenas). The information is obtained using the GPS of service provider companies and trucking companies in their port entry processes, loading/unloading maneuvers at the terminal and the waiting time to cross customs.

Last August, the sample covered a universe of 2,568 auto transport units , whose measurements were the basis for the creation of the indicator.

Among the four main ports serving the country’s trade, Lázaro Cárdenas was the one that improved the most in the index by reducing its times with respect to July by 59% , followed by Altamira with 58.4%, Manzanillo with 56%; and, finally, the port of Veracruz with a 43% improvement.

Of the three phases measured by the indicator, it is observed that the waiting time for goods to clear customs remains the one that consumes the most time in the circuit, fluctuating between 50 and 45 percent. Dead times in the process generate costs that, obviously, do not add value to our country’s supply chain and do increase the final prices of the goods when they reach the consumer and have an impact on the national inflation rate.

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El cargo Ports Improve in August but Remain Below Optimal Levels apareció primero en T21.