APM Terminals Mexico has entered a new phase of growth in which capacity expansion must be accompanied by greater integration of the logistics ecosystem. With Phase II of its terminal in Lázaro Cárdenas now operational, a $350 million Phase III in the planning stages, and the modernization of its other terminal in Puerto Progreso, the company is focusing on technology, connectivity, and decarbonization. 

The most visible investment is in Lázaro Cárdenas. APM Terminals accelerated Phase III by eight years to strengthen the terminal and the Pacific corridor. Beatriz Yera, CEO of APM Terminals Mexico, maintains that the decision reflects a long-term vision for the country’s role in global supply chains. 

“Phase III reflects our confidence in Mexico’s potential and in the growth of supply chains that connect the country with North America and global markets, particularly through the Pacific,” he says in an interview with T21. 

The project will arrive at a time of growth . During the first half of 2026, it handled 684,599 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), 35% more than the 508,506 handled during the same period in 2025. This trend continued during the second half of the year, and by September 12, it had already reached one million TEUs handled for the year. The company avoids setting a specific figure for three or five years and focuses its strategy on having the capacity to meet future demand. 

A significant portion of that growth comes from transshipments, which accounted for approximately 61% of the volume in the first half of the year. The company attributes this activity to the port’s location, its connection to routes between Asia and the Americas, and the available infrastructure, but seeks to combine these flows with imports and exports .

The expansion also puts automation to the test. Three new fully automated and electrified storage blocks were added during 2026 as part of Phase II. This infrastructure increases capacity and flexibility, while requiring more specialized personnel to operate digital technologies and systems.

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El cargo More capacity is not enough: APM Terminals seeks to synchronize the supply chain apareció primero en T21.

In Mexico, the hours a tractor-trailer spends tied up during port operations have consequences that extend beyond productivity. While the unit is not completing its cycle, the transport company maintains resources allocated to fuel, the driver, and the equipment itself , while simultaneously reducing its availability to perform new services and generate revenue.

An analysis by T21 Business Intelligence , based on times recorded by the Average Time Indicator for Road Transport in Ports (ITPAP) , estimates that delays in Manzanillo, Lázaro Cárdenas, Veracruz and Altamira, the country’s main ports for handling containerized cargo, represent a combined associated cost of 1,166.3 million pesos (mdp) per month for road transport, considering the operating days of each facility.

The exercise considers three components directly linked to the immobilization of equipment: diesel, operators, and tractor-trailer trucks . Relating these to the average daily flow of vehicles entering each port, the potential impact reaches approximately 38.4 million pesos daily across the four facilities.

Manzanillo accounts for the largest share , with an estimated 13.6 million pesos daily, based on an average flow of 3,700 vehicles. It is followed by Lázaro Cárdenas, with 10.8 million pesos and 2,500 vehicles; Veracruz, with 8.9 million pesos and 2,000 vehicles; and Altamira, with 5.1 million pesos daily and around 1,000 vehicles.

When projecting these impacts based on the operating days considered during August, the associated cost amounts to 414.9 million pesos per month in Manzanillo, 327.2 million pesos in Lázaro Cárdenas, 270 million pesos in Veracruz and 154.1 million pesos in Altamira.

More than just an accounting loss actually recorded by companies, this exercise allows us to quantify the resources committed due to delays . An additional hour not only prolongs a unit’s stay: it keeps capital, operators, and operational resources tied up, while reducing the tractor-trailer’s capacity to complete other transport cycles.

ITPAP shows improvement in August

From this perspective, the ITPAP’s performance during August takes on a new dimension. The average time decreased from 11 hours, 50 minutes, and 23 seconds in July to 10 hours, 40 minutes, and 39 seconds in August , an improvement of one hour, nine minutes, and 44 seconds.

By August, the ITPAP—generated from information shared by GPS and trucking companies with T21—considered 2,273 trucking movements of imported container cargo at the four ports analyzed. The reduction in the overall average, however, did not translate into a general improvement: Manzanillo and Lázaro Cárdenas saw decreases in their transit times , while Veracruz and Altamira registered considerable increases.

All three components of the ITPAP showed a reduction compared to the previous month. Customs processing time decreased from 5:44:56 to 5:14:26 hours , an improvement of 30 minutes and 30 seconds; maneuvering time decreased from 2:34:14 to 2:17:09, a reduction of 17 minutes and five seconds; while waiting time fell from 3:31:13 to 3:09:04, a reduction of 22 minutes and nine seconds.

The distribution, however, maintains a pattern that has been repeated throughout the year. In August, customs accounted for 49.1% of the overall average time, while waiting represented 29.5% and handling 21.4%. In other words, practically one out of every two minutes spent was associated with the customs component.

Manzanillo moves from last to first place

The most significant change occurred in Manzanillo. After registering the longest time among the four venues in July, with 12:50:27, in August it reduced its average to 9:34:30, an improvement of 3:15:57 hours.

The adjustment occurred in all three components. Customs decreased from 6:11:30 to 4:40:22; maneuvering, from 2:45:48 to 2:03:35; and waiting, from 3:53:08 to 2:50:32.

With this, Manzanillo caused a major shift in the ITPAP ranking: it went from having the longest wait time in July to registering the shortest among the four ports during August.

Lázaro Cárdenas maintains its downward trajectory

Lázaro Cárdenas also managed to reduce his times, although more moderately. His average went from 11:58:58 in July to 11:17:45 in August, an improvement of 41 minutes and 13 seconds.

Customs went down from 5:52:52 to 5:32:16; maneuvers, from 2:36:49 to 2:24:08; and waiting, from 3:29:17 to 3:21:21.

This trend continues the recovery that began after April, when Lázaro Cárdenas reached 16:53:10, its longest time in the first eight months of the year. Although July briefly interrupted this trend, August brought the indicator back down.

Veracruz reverses the improvement

The situation was different in Veracruz. After topping the July ranking with 7:13:01, the average time increased to 11:31:59 in August, a difference of 4:18:58, the largest negative variation among the four ports.

The deterioration also affected all three components: customs went from 3:32:16 to 5:39:08; maneuvers, from 1:37:58 to 2:33:08; and waiting, from 2:02:47 to 3:19:43.

With this result, Veracruz went from first to third place in just one month , again demonstrating the volatility that service times for road transport can present between consecutive periods.

Altamira records the longest August weather

In Altamira, the average increased from 9:36:28 in July to 13:09:39 in August, an increase of 3:33:11 that placed it as the port with the longest time of the month.

Customs advanced from 4:36:02 to 6:38:48 ; maneuvers, from 2:06:48 to 2:46:23; and waiting, from 2:53:38 to 3:44:27.

The result also represents the second longest time recorded by Altamira during the first eight months of 2026, just below the 13:35:29 observed in March.

Thus, August once again showed that the average only tells part of the story. While the overall ITPAP improved by just over an hour, Manzanillo and Lázaro Cárdenas reduced their times , but Veracruz and Altamira moved in the opposite direction, again causing significant changes in the relative performance of the venues.

The analysis becomes even more relevant when hours are translated into economic resources. For trucking, port productivity doesn’t end with an improvement or decline in an indicator: every minute a unit is idle affects asset utilization, the operator’s available time, and the possibility of completing future trips. This relationship between time and cost is what allows us to understand why efficiency within ports extends beyond their facilities and ultimately impacts the rest of the logistics chain.

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El cargo Port delays cost the trucking industry in Mexico more than 1.166 billion pesos per month apareció primero en T21.

Contecon Manzanillo took the land operation of the Specialized Container Terminal II (TEC II) to a new level by evacuating an average of two thousand import containers by road transport every 24 hours, a record that, beyond the volume achieved, puts on the table the impact that the recent extension of customs hours can have on the fluidity of the logistics chain in the main container port of Mexico.

The record was reached on August 20 and 21, when the terminal moved nearly four thousand containers by land over a two-day period. According to the company, this is a record figure for the Port of Manzanillo and was made possible after extending the windows for cargo pickup and strengthening coordination with Manzanillo Customs.

One of the factors behind this behavior was precisely the implementation of the “24/2” system , whereby customs operations are maintained for 24 continuous hours from Thursday to Friday. This allows for the distribution of appointments for the release of goods over a wider window and prevents truckers from having to interrupt their operations while waiting for customs services to reopen.

The result is relevant for port operations where simply increasing the capacity to receive and handle containers within the terminals is not enough . The speed at which cargo can leave the port area and continue to its inland destination also determines equipment turnover, yard utilization, and the system’s capacity to absorb larger volumes.

According to the Average Time Indicator for Trucking in Ports (ITPAP) , prepared by T21 Business Intelligence, the port had closed June with an average of 5:34:16 hours in the time it takes a truck to enter, pick up imported goods and leave the port, but a month later the indicator climbed to 12:50:27, a difference of 7:16:11.

In that sense, Customs increased from 2:43:36 to 6:11:30 hours; maneuvers went from 1:12:56 to 2:45:48; and waiting advanced from 1:37:43 to 3:53:08.

“Reaching this record demonstrates that the investments and changes we have made at Contecon are yielding results. We have strengthened our operational capacity and, at the same time, worked in coordination with the Manzanillo Customs Office to expedite the release of goods. This allows us to handle larger cargo volumes and be more efficient as part of the logistics chain,” said José Antonio Contreras, CEO of Contecon Manzanillo, in a press release.

The extended hours are combined with changes to the scheduling and service processes . According to data released by the terminal, since week 31, appointment fulfillment has remained above 95%, an indicator that points to greater continuity between the dispatch of containers and the arrival of the vehicles responsible for collecting them.

This performance also coincides with the capacity expansions that Contecon has been developing since 2023 at TEC II. The combination of infrastructure, operational capacity, and greater availability of customs services allowed for faster goods shipments and improved truck turnover during the days when the record was set.

Contreras believes that maintaining a more flexible operation can have effects that extend beyond the terminal itself. “A flexible and continuous customs operation, in coordination with the terminal, has a direct and positive impact on the logistics chain. We will continue to seek improvements and solutions that translate into faster turnaround times for carriers and a more efficient operation,” he added.

The challenge now will be maintaining those evacuation levels as volumes increase. Contecon estimates reaching approximately 9,800 containers per week moved by truck, a figure that would represent a 20% increase compared to the weekly average recorded during 2025.

Thus, the record set in August is not solely associated with the number of containers dispatched in 24 hours, but also with the ability to coordinate infrastructure, terminal, customs, and land transport . In a port where cargo growth demands that the various links in the chain advance at a similar pace, the continuity of outbound processes becomes crucial to prevent increased maritime capacity from shifting the pressure onto storage yards, access roads, and land transport.

For the first seven months of this year, Contecon Manzanillo has handled 1,022,181 twenty-foot containers (TEUs) , a 20.1% increase compared to the same period last year, according to data from the National Port System Administration (Asipoona) Manzanillo .

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El cargo Contecon breaks record in Manzanillo: evacuates 2,000 containers in 24 hours apareció primero en T21.

APM Terminals Mexico closed the first half of 2026 with a 35% year-on-year growth in container traffic at its Lázaro Cárdenas terminal , while its Yucatán operation exceeded 41,000 TEUs (20-foot containers), at a time when both facilities are undergoing modernization processes and the company is advancing in the electrification of its port operations.

Between January and June, APM Terminals Lázaro Cárdenas moved 684,599 TEUs , compared to 508,506 registered during the same period in 2025, a difference of 176,093 TEUs that shows the increase in activity observed during the first six months of the year.

A significant portion of this volume was related to transshipment cargo . By the end of June, the terminal had accumulated 416,102 TEUs under this type of operation, equivalent to approximately 61% of all containers handled during the period.

This trend was also reflected in cargo directly linked to trade flows, with the movement of full containers increasing by 37% during the first half of the year. Both indicators demonstrate the increased volume being processed by the Lázaro Cárdenas facility and the continued importance of transshipments within its operational mix.

This growth is occurring in parallel with the modernization process that APM Terminals is developing in its Mexican operations, where automation, digitization and process improvement are part of the strategy to increase cargo handling capacity and sustain higher volumes.

In southeastern Mexico, the operation operates on a different scale. APM Terminals Yucatán handled 41,442 TEUs during the first six months of 2026, while the terminal modernization project continues.

The transformation of this facility is taking place within the context of the expansion of port infrastructure in Yucatán and seeks to prepare the operation to support a potential growth in the region’s trade and logistics flows.

Beatriz Yera , CEO of APM Terminals Mexico, linked the performance of the terminals to the investments that the company maintains in infrastructure and technology.

“The growth we are experiencing at our terminals reflects our ability to respond to customer needs and the evolution of international trade. Investment in infrastructure, automation, and technology, coupled with the talent of our employees, allows us to offer greater operational efficiency while contributing to the development of logistics ecosystems and the communities where we operate. We are convinced that generating shared prosperity also means fostering opportunities for talent and building long-term relationships that promote sustainable and inclusive growth,” the company stated in a press release.

In addition to the expansion and modernization of facilities, another front is beginning to transform port operations: the energy transition. In Mexico, APM Terminals is working on optimizing energy consumption , electrifying equipment and operations, and incorporating renewable energy sources, as part of its goal to achieve net-zero emissions by 2040.

Within this strategy, the Yucatan terminal has a particular role, as it was selected as one of three APM Terminals pilot facilities worldwide to implement new electrification solutions .

Thus, the balance of the first half shows two different moments within the company’s operations in Mexico: while Lázaro Cárdenas registers double-digit growth and a high participation of transshipments, Yucatán advances in a modernization process that will also serve as a testing ground for technologies aimed at electrifying and reducing emissions from port activity.

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El cargo Lázaro Cárdenas and Yucatán set the pace for APM Terminals in Mexico apareció primero en T21.

APM Terminals Mexico closed the first half of 2026 with a 35% year-on-year growth in container traffic at its Lázaro Cárdenas terminal , while its Yucatán operation exceeded 41,000 TEUs (20-foot containers), at a time when both facilities are undergoing modernization processes and the company is advancing in the electrification of its port operations.

Between January and June, APM Terminals Lázaro Cárdenas moved 684,599 TEUs , compared to 508,506 registered during the same period in 2025, a difference of 176,093 TEUs that shows the increase in activity observed during the first six months of the year.

A significant portion of this volume was related to transshipment cargo . By the end of June, the terminal had accumulated 416,102 TEUs under this type of operation, equivalent to approximately 61% of all containers handled during the period.

This trend was also reflected in cargo directly linked to trade flows, with the movement of full containers increasing by 37% during the first half of the year. Both indicators demonstrate the increased volume being processed by the Lázaro Cárdenas facility and the continued importance of transshipments within its operational mix.

This growth is occurring in parallel with the modernization process that APM Terminals is developing in its Mexican operations, where automation, digitization and process improvement are part of the strategy to increase cargo handling capacity and sustain higher volumes.

In southeastern Mexico, the operation operates on a different scale. APM Terminals Yucatán handled 41,442 TEUs during the first six months of 2026, while the terminal modernization project continues.

The transformation of this facility is taking place within the context of the expansion of port infrastructure in Yucatán and seeks to prepare the operation to support a potential growth in the region’s trade and logistics flows.

Beatriz Yera , CEO of APM Terminals Mexico, linked the performance of the terminals to the investments that the company maintains in infrastructure and technology.

“The growth we are experiencing at our terminals reflects our ability to respond to customer needs and the evolution of international trade. Investment in infrastructure, automation, and technology, coupled with the talent of our employees, allows us to offer greater operational efficiency while contributing to the development of logistics ecosystems and the communities where we operate. We are convinced that generating shared prosperity also means fostering opportunities for talent and building long-term relationships that promote sustainable and inclusive growth,” the company stated in a press release.

In addition to the expansion and modernization of facilities, another front is beginning to transform port operations: the energy transition. In Mexico, APM Terminals is working on optimizing energy consumption , electrifying equipment and operations, and incorporating renewable energy sources, as part of its goal to achieve net-zero emissions by 2040.

Within this strategy, the Yucatan terminal has a particular role, as it was selected as one of three APM Terminals pilot facilities worldwide to implement new electrification solutions .

Thus, the balance of the first half shows two different moments within the company’s operations in Mexico: while Lázaro Cárdenas registers double-digit growth and a high participation of transshipments, Yucatán advances in a modernization process that will also serve as a testing ground for technologies aimed at electrifying and reducing emissions from port activity.

Comment and follow us on LinkedIn:  @GrupoT21

El cargo Lázaro Cárdenas and Yucatán set the pace for APM Terminals in Mexico apareció primero en T21.

The recovery in truck turnaround times at Mexico’s main ports during May and June hit a turning point in July of this year. The Average Truck Turnaround Time Indicator at Ports (ITPAP) registered an average of 11 hours, 50 minutes, and 23 seconds , compared to 6 hours, 33 minutes, and 43 seconds a month earlier.

The difference represents an increase of 5 hours, 16 minutes and 40 seconds , equivalent to 80.4%, and places the indicator back close to the levels recorded during the months of greatest operational pressure so far in 2026.

In July, ITPAP analyzed 2,327 truck movements at the ports of Manzanillo, Lázaro Cárdenas, Veracruz, and Altamira, with support from GPS operators and trucking companies. The trend was widespread: all four ports registered longer service times compared to June, although with significant differences in the extent of the decline.

The trend was also reflected in each of the processes that make up the index. The average time for customs procedures increased from 3:13:12 in June to 5:44:56 in July, an increase of 2:31:44. Maneuvering time increased from 1:25:53 to 2:34:14, while waiting time rose from 1:54:38 to 3:31:13.

Thus, practically half of the total time was again concentrated on customs processes , with a 48.6% share; waiting accounted for 29.7% and maneuvering, 21.7%. The distribution maintains a pattern that ITPAP has identified in previous months: regardless of the differences between ports, customs processing continues to be the component that absorbs the most time within the operational cycle.

Manzanillo registers the greatest deterioration

The most pronounced change during July occurred in Manzanillo . The port had closed June with an average of 5:34:16, but a month later the indicator climbed to 12:50:27, a difference of 7:16:11.

The deterioration was distributed among the three components. Customs increased from 2:43:36 to 6:11:30; maneuvering went from 1:12:56 to 2:45:48; and waiting advanced from 1:37:43 to 3:53:08.

With this result, Manzanillo not only went from second to fourth place among the ports analyzed, but also recorded its highest average time in the first seven months of 2026, even surpassing the levels observed between February and April.

This behavior contrasts sharply with May and June, when the venue had managed to stay slightly above five hours. Thus, July abruptly halted the improvement shown during the previous two months.

Lázaro Cárdenas is once again approaching 12 hours

In Lázaro Cárdenas, the average time went from 8:28:25 in June to 11:58:58 in July , an increase of 3:30:33.

Customs advanced from 4:09:42 to 5:52:52; maneuvers from 1:51:02 to 2:36:49; and waiting from 2:27:40 to 3:29:17.

The result also marked a change from the downward trend the port had experienced after April, when it reached 16:53:10, its highest time of the year. May had reduced the indicator to 9:31:19 and June to 8:28:25, but July brought it back practically to the 12-hour mark .

Altamira relinquishes first place

Altamira, which in June had the shortest time among the four venues analyzed, did not escape the general deterioration either.

His average increased from 5:19:46 to 9:36:28 , a difference of 4:16:42.

The customs component went from 2:38:23 to 4:36:02; maneuvers increased from 1:05:17 to 2:06:48; and waiting advanced from 1:36:06 to 2:53:38.

The change moved Altamira from first to second place in the monthly ranking . Even so, its result remained below the 13:35:29 recorded in March, the longest episode for this port during 2016.

Veracruz is containing the increase better.

In a July marked by longer times, Veracruz showed the least variation among the four ports and ended up leading the ITPAP ranking.

The average went from 6:15:26 in June to 7:13:01 in July , just 57 minutes and 35 seconds more, compared to increases of more than three, four and seven hours in the other venues.

Customs increased from 3:04:10 to 3:32:16; maneuvers went from 1:26:50 to 1:37:58; and waiting advanced from 1:44:25 to 2:02:47.

With this, Veracruz went from third place in June to first in July , followed by Altamira, Lázaro Cárdenas and Manzanillo.

An indicator that returns to double-digit territory

Looking at the first seven months allows us to better understand the change in July. The ITPAP started January with 8:47:33, increased to 11:09:20 in February and 12:56:32 in March, reaching 13:05:46 in April, the highest national average for the period.

Then came a considerable correction . May reduced the indicator to 7:01:07 and June deepened the improvement to 6:33:43, the best result recorded in 2016.

July reversed a significant part of that progress, settling at 11:50:23. This made it the third longest average time of the year , only behind March and April, and returned the indicator to a double-digit level.

Beyond the monthly fluctuations, the results again demonstrate the sensitivity of port operations to the various stages that trucking must complete within the port facilities. In July, the decline was not caused by a single factor: customs, handling, and waiting times increased simultaneously, although with varying degrees of intensity from one port to another.

And those hours have consequences that extend beyond the terminal doors. For transport companies, a vehicle stopped for longer periods reduces its capacity to complete trips , limits the productive kilometers it can travel, and forces them to allocate more resources to meet the same demand.

It is precisely this dimension that ITPAP will begin to incorporate into its analysis: not only how long road transport remains in ports, but what the cost is to companies and the logistics chain of losing productivity during those hours.

Even the time lost has a cost

The impact of port delays doesn’t end with operations. A T21 Business Intelligence study quantifies the cost to transport companies of keeping their equipment idle during the hours required to service each port, considering three main components: fuel (diesel), operator, and tractor-trailer .

With the average times considered in the exercise, Manzanillo presents the highest cost per unit, with around four thousand 934 pesos for each cycle affected by delays; followed by Lázaro Cárdenas, with four thousand 626 pesos; Altamira, with three thousand 701 pesos; and Veracruz, with two thousand 776 pesos.

The scale changes when these costs are applied to the average daily flow of trucking. Considering approximately 3,000 trucks in Manzanillo, 1,800 in Lázaro Cárdenas, 3,200 in Altamira, and 3,400 in Veracruz, the estimated combined impact reaches approximately 44.4 million pesos per day across the four ports.

Manzanillo would be most affected, with daily losses of 14.8 million pesos, followed by Altamira with 11.8 million, Veracruz with 9.4 million, and Lázaro Cárdenas with 8.3 million. More than just a problem of waiting time, these figures illustrate how port inefficiencies can directly impact the cost structure of trucking and, eventually, the rest of the logistics chain.

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El cargo ITPAP: July disrupts recovery in port service times apareció primero en T21.

The port of Lázaro Cárdenas will undergo a period of adjustments to its land connectivity. Two road projects promoted by the National Port System Administration (Asipona) aim to expand access capacity and reduce the overlap between heavy transport and urban traffic, but their implementation could also cause temporary disruptions to travel related to logistics activities and daily mobility in the city.

The situation is significant due to the role that land access routes play in the operation of Lázaro Cárdenas. Although the work is not taking place within the terminals and Asipona does not anticipate any interruptions to port operations, the interventions are being carried out on corridors linked to the entrance to the city and the port area , where private vehicles and cargo trucks converge.

Asipona reported that the projects are part of its 2025-2030 Public Works Investment Plan , which allocates 1.729 billion pesos to strengthen port logistics and transform urban mobility. Two strategic road infrastructure projects are currently underway.

The largest project involves the construction and expansion of the alternative road to the port area, the Lázaro Cárdenas Port Bypass , and the expansion of the SICARTSA Bridge , between Melchor Ocampo and Morelos avenues.

Work began on June 2nd and will continue until September 15th, 2027, with an investment of 214.8 million pesos . The project aims to increase the operational capacity and road safety of the port access, expedite cargo traffic, reduce travel times, and alleviate heavy vehicle congestion in the urban area.

To achieve this, the road will be widened from two to four lanes , including shoulders; the SICARTSA Bridge will be enlarged, and a central median will be constructed to improve traffic flow at intersections. The project also includes stormwater drainage infrastructure and LED street lighting.

In parallel, since July 21, the adaptation of road infrastructure in the access to the city , between Puentes Cuates and the Lázaro Cárdenas Junction, has been underway, with an investment of 68.5 million pesos and completion scheduled for April 30, 2027.

This second phase of the project will widen the road from two to three lanes in each direction , and replace an open-air canal with prefabricated concrete culverts. The project also includes U-turns, road signage, and new street lighting.

Together, the two projects represent approximately 283.4 million pesos and represent a transitional phase for the port’s land connectivity . The expected benefit is the availability of corridors with greater capacity once the works are completed; in the short term, however, the areas affected could become traffic bottlenecks.

Asipona itself asked citizens and transport operators to plan their travel times in advance , respect warning signs, and adhere to speed limits during the construction work. Furthermore, it announced that it will issue warnings and temporary detours as the work progresses.

This call is especially important for the logistics sector. Changes in traffic patterns or increased travel times at access points can impact the scheduling of vehicle arrivals, pickups, and deliveries , even if the terminals continue operating normally. The challenge will be to prevent construction projects designed to eliminate future bottlenecks from creating new traffic congestion at other points in the road network during their construction.

The potential impact is not limited to freight transport. Lázaro Cárdenas maintains a close relationship between city and port , so some of the infrastructure used by the logistics community is also part of the daily commutes of its residents. Any temporary modifications to these corridors could shift traffic to other roads and increase travel times.

Therefore, coordinating the work, traffic diversions, and communication with carriers and citizens will be just as important as the infrastructure being built. The transformation aims to address one of the consequences of port growth : ensuring that increased logistics activity can be absorbed by land access routes without shifting its costs, in the form of congestion and longer travel times, to the city.

The works thus begin a period that will last for much of 2027. In the short term, Lázaro Cárdenas will have to manage the possible impacts resulting from the interventions; in the long term, Asipona’s hope is that the expansion of the access roads will allow the port’s growth to find a more efficient land outlet with less interference on urban mobility.

The importance of the port of Lázaro Cárdenas to Mexico’s port system is reflected in the data. Of the 69.1 million tons handled by Pacific ports from January to July of this year, the port in Michoacán has handled 26.5% of the total, according to data from the Ports and Merchant Marine Unit (UPMM) of the Mexican Navy .

Likewise, in the activities of handling new vehicles for export and import, the country’s ports have handled just over 1.1 million units in the first seven months of this year, of which Lázaro Cárdenas moved 32.9% of them.

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El cargo Lázaro Cárdenas adjusts its access routes due to strategic works apareció primero en T21.

For years, Puerto Chiapas was identified as a fishing port, closely linked to the tuna fleet and with commercial activity limited by structural factors that hindered its growth. Today, the narrative is beginning to change. The 2025-2030 Port Development Master Plan (PMDP) outlines a path to transform it into a logistics platform with greater regional integration, while those who work there daily affirm that the conditions to unleash this potential are beginning to align. For Zaire Osorio, CEO of Zaire Shipping Mexico , the port is at a turning point where infrastructure, public policy, and a renewed vision of the role of the south-southeast in Mexican foreign trade converge.

The guiding document of the National Port System Administration (Asipona) for Puerto Chiapas outlines a strategy aimed at diversifying cargo, strengthening connectivity with Central America, and consolidating the port as a logistics hub complementary to the development of the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec (CIIT) , which already includes 14 Development Hubs for Well-being. This vision resonates with the private sector stakeholders who have supported the port’s evolution in recent years.

“It’s a good time to turn or turn again to the south, because we already have infrastructure (…) we have a port, airport, train and border,” says Osorio in an interview with T21, who believes that the current scenario differs completely from the one the region faced just a few years ago.

The management notes that Puerto Chiapas’s development remained stagnant in recent years due, among other factors, to changes in customs jurisdiction that altered incentives for international trade with Guatemala. No longer belonging to Ciudad Hidalgo, Chiapas, but rather depending on the Salina Cruz customs office in Oaxaca (a change that occurred on December 31, 2022), the management explains, the port lost some of the competitiveness that had historically characterized it as an international transit point to Central America. This situation began to reverse with the return to the Ciudad Hidalgo customs section (effective May 15, 2025), a decision that, from their perspective, restores some of the port’s logistical focus.

PMDP itself recognizes Central America as one of the natural markets to drive the port’s growth, particularly through increased trade with Guatemala and the development of regional logistics chains . Its current jurisdiction over the Ciudad Hidalgo customs office brings the port closer to its goal of capturing the regional market.

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

El cargo The south’s bet is on Puerto Chiapas apareció primero en T21.

Mexico’s maritime competitiveness no longer depends solely on building more docks or widening shipping channels. Today, it also hinges on streamlining customs, digitizing processes, strengthening coordination between authorities and businesses, and responding more quickly to an increasingly dynamic international trade environment. In this context, the Mexican Association of Shipping Agents (Amanac) celebrates its 39th anniversary this August 6th , after nearly four decades of supporting the evolution of the maritime-port system and establishing itself as one of the leading organizations representing Mexican foreign trade.

Amanac’s story began in 1987, when seven shipping agencies decided to create an organization capable of representing the sector’s interests in a unified manner within a context marked by labor disputes, union negotiations, and a maritime trade that was beginning to transform. What started as a business initiative eventually became a permanent liaison between the industry, the authorities, and the various stakeholders in Mexican foreign trade—an evolution that has allowed it to maintain a continuous work agenda for almost four decades.

Over the years, the association has expanded its reach far beyond trade representation. Port congestion, customs bottlenecks, highway insecurity, abandoned cargo, and the need to modernize logistics operations have positioned Amanac as one of the business organizations that consistently participates in analyzing and developing proposals to improve the competitiveness of Mexican foreign trade.

This role has also been strengthened through collaboration with other chambers of commerce and business associations, as well as with authorities linked to the maritime and port sector. Under this vision of building common positions, Amanac has promoted initiatives to facilitate trade and address problems affecting the entire logistics chain, in addition to consolidating its presence in international organizations such as the Federation of National Associations of Ship Brokers and Agents (FONASBA) , the Inter-American Chamber of National Associations of Maritime Agents (CIANAM) , the Caribbean Cruise Federation , and the Inter-American Committee on Ports of the Organization of American States (OAS) .

Currently, Amanac brings together about 70 shipping agencies that represent the vast majority of ship calls and maritime cargo that moves through the country’s ports, a position that has made it one of the main voices of the national maritime industry and a regular interlocutor on issues that affect the development of the Mexican port system.

The 39th anniversary also coincides with the beginning of a new institutional phase. The current administration, led by Roberto Meillón, has proposed an agenda aimed at strengthening the association’s role through the professionalization of the sector, the promotion of the Amanac Institute , the adoption of new technological tools, process certification, and greater participation in strategic issues for the maritime and port industry.

In parallel, the organization has promoted greater visibility for the role of the shipping agent, an indispensable link in maritime trade operations, but historically little known outside the sector. Among its main initiatives is the push to institutionalize Shipping Agent Day , commemorated every August 6th, as well as various actions aimed at recognizing the contribution of these professionals to the operation of ports and to Mexican foreign trade.

Nearly four decades after its founding, Amanac reaches this anniversary at a time when Mexico is seeking to strengthen its position in global supply chains through port investments, more agile processes, and more efficient logistics. In this context, the ability to build consensus between industry and authorities will continue to be one of the main assets of an association that has evolved at the same pace as the national maritime system.

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

El cargo Amanac, 39 years sailing alongside the transformation of the Mexican maritime system apareció primero en T21.

Mexico’s maritime competitiveness no longer depends solely on building more docks or widening shipping channels. Today, it also hinges on streamlining customs, digitizing processes, strengthening coordination between authorities and businesses, and responding more quickly to an increasingly dynamic international trade environment. In this context, the Mexican Association of Shipping Agents (Amanac) celebrates its 39th anniversary this August 6th , after nearly four decades of supporting the evolution of the maritime-port system and establishing itself as one of the leading organizations representing Mexican foreign trade.

Amanac’s story began in 1987, when seven shipping agencies decided to create an organization capable of representing the sector’s interests in a unified manner within a context marked by labor disputes, union negotiations, and a maritime trade that was beginning to transform. What started as a business initiative eventually became a permanent liaison between the industry, the authorities, and the various stakeholders in Mexican foreign trade—an evolution that has allowed it to maintain a continuous work agenda for almost four decades.

Over the years, the association has expanded its reach far beyond trade representation. Port congestion, customs bottlenecks, highway insecurity, abandoned cargo, and the need to modernize logistics operations have positioned Amanac as one of the business organizations that consistently participates in analyzing and developing proposals to improve the competitiveness of Mexican foreign trade.

This role has also been strengthened through collaboration with other chambers of commerce and business associations, as well as with authorities linked to the maritime and port sector. Under this vision of building common positions, Amanac has promoted initiatives to facilitate trade and address problems affecting the entire logistics chain, in addition to consolidating its presence in international organizations such as the Federation of National Associations of Ship Brokers and Agents (FONASBA) , the Inter-American Chamber of National Associations of Maritime Agents (CIANAM) , the Caribbean Cruise Federation , and the Inter-American Committee on Ports of the Organization of American States (OAS) .

Currently, Amanac brings together about 70 shipping agencies that represent the vast majority of ship calls and maritime cargo that moves through the country’s ports, a position that has made it one of the main voices of the national maritime industry and a regular interlocutor on issues that affect the development of the Mexican port system.

The 39th anniversary also coincides with the beginning of a new institutional phase. The current administration, led by Roberto Meillón, has proposed an agenda aimed at strengthening the association’s role through the professionalization of the sector, the promotion of the Amanac Institute , the adoption of new technological tools, process certification, and greater participation in strategic issues for the maritime and port industry.

In parallel, the organization has promoted greater visibility for the role of the shipping agent, an indispensable link in maritime trade operations, but historically little known outside the sector. Among its main initiatives is the push to institutionalize Shipping Agent Day , commemorated every August 6th, as well as various actions aimed at recognizing the contribution of these professionals to the operation of ports and to Mexican foreign trade.

Nearly four decades after its founding, Amanac reaches this anniversary at a time when Mexico is seeking to strengthen its position in global supply chains through port investments, more agile processes, and more efficient logistics. In this context, the ability to build consensus between industry and authorities will continue to be one of the main assets of an association that has evolved at the same pace as the national maritime system.

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

El cargo Amanac, 39 years sailing alongside the transformation of the Mexican maritime system apareció primero en T21.