The presence of an oil slick in Manzanillo Bay mobilized maritime, port, and environmental authorities, as well as Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) , who are conducting an investigation to determine the origin of the hydrocarbon detected on June 2nd in the vicinity of the tourist pier and the Maritime Terminal of the state-owned company.

According to the Mexican Navy (Semar) , the contingency resulted in the activation of the Local Contingency Plan for Spills of Hydrocarbons and Potentially Hazardous Noxious Substances in Mexican Marine Zones, after the National Port System Administration (Asipona) Manzanillo reported the presence of the contaminant in waters near the city’s historic center.

The first inspections carried out by specialized personnel made it possible to identify “scattered patches of surface iridescence in the water” , which were concentrated around the perimeter barriers of the Pemex Maritime Terminal, a situation that triggered the application of response protocols to contain a possible environmental impact.

As part of the emergency response, the Mexican Navy (Semar) deployed a joint operation with the Pacific Naval Force, the Fourteenth Naval Zone, and ASIPONA Manzanillo to carry out cleanup efforts and determine whether the presence of the hydrocarbon was due to an isolated incident or a continuous source of contamination. The response included the deployment of 200 meters of containment booms from the Mexican Navy ship “Comala,” with support from a tugboat, two Defender-class vessels from the Naval Search, Rescue, and Maritime Surveillance Station (ENSAR), and a Go-Fast vessel.

These efforts were complemented by the installation of an additional 270 meters of barriers as structural support for the containment work, along with another 450 meters placed at the Pemex Maritime Terminal. Naval authorities stated that the cleanup and recovery of the hydrocarbons continues, with the goal of preventing or mitigating damage to the marine ecosystem.

As containment efforts in the water progressed, Pemex reported that it is maintaining inter-institutional coordination to help identify the source of the oil spill. The company stated that personnel from the Federal Maritime Guard, Asipona Manzanillo, the Mexican Navy, and Pemex itself conducted verification tours of docks, beach pipelines, and facilities at the maritime terminal.

As a result of the inspections carried out on June 2 and 3, Pemex assured that “the facilities are operating under normal conditions and without evidence of damage or incidents associated with the event,” ruling out so far any indications that directly link the contingency to a visible failure in its infrastructure.

The company also reported that it is maintaining constant coordination with the Mexican Navy, Asipona Manzanillo, and other relevant authorities to monitor the investigations . It also announced a new pipeline inspection with the participation of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) , the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa) , Asipona, and Civil Protection, as part of the efforts to determine the origin of the hydrocarbon.

In its statement, Pemex reiterated “its commitment to protecting the environment, the safety of its operations, and the timely attention to any situation that could represent a risk to the communities and ecosystems where it carries out its activities,” while the investigations continue.

For its part, the Mexican Navy emphasized that the central purpose of activating the contingency plan is “to establish actions for the containment and recovery of the oil spill in the sea in the shortest possible time to prevent or mitigate damage and pollution to the marine environment.” In this regard, the agency reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the marine environment and ensuring the safety of port activities, in a situation that keeps authorities under close observation while the origin of the substance that reached the waters of Manzanillo Bay is determined.

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El cargo Oil spill under investigation off the port of Manzanillo apareció primero en T21.

The detection of hydrocarbons in the port of Veracruz , reported on April 4 by the Mexican Navy (Semar) , comes at a time when the traceability of contaminants in the Gulf of Mexico discovered since the beginning of March of this year has become unclear. Regarding the CMA CGM Moliere vessel —docked since March 27 at pier 14 of ICAVE —authorities confirmed the presence of residue, but not its origin, opening a front of uncertainty that transcends this specific incident and is part of a regional context marked by spills with no clear cause and ongoing operational repercussions.

According to a statement issued by the Mexican Navy (Semar) on April 4, naval personnel conducted reconnaissance and cleanup operations after detecting oil slicks and iridescent patterns on the water’s surface in the port of Veracruz. The hydrocarbons were contained within booms placed around the vessel—owned by the French company CMA CGM —in an area of ​​approximately 20 by 30 meters, from which nearly 180 kilograms of contaminated material were collected.

The document also provides a relevant temporal element: since the ship’s arrival on March 27, the presence of these containment barriers had already been confirmed , suggesting that the event was neither immediate nor necessarily public from its origin.

Despite this, the Navy avoids establishing a direct causal link . Instead of attributing the spill, it merely notes the presence of hydrocarbons “in the vicinity” of the vessel and confirms that no contamination was detected outside the contained area.

More than a week after the ship’s arrival, and with the incident already under control and in its containment phase, the source of the contaminant remains undetermined . In this context, a source close to the incident investigation told T21 that a certified underwater inspection of the vessel will be carried out this Wednesday, April 8 , to verify whether or not there is a connection between the ship and the presence of the hydrocarbon.

In contrast to the statement issued by the Navy on April 4, the Veracruz Port Authority (Asipona) has not yet published an official statement on the incident through its institutional channels, despite it occurring within the port area under its administration. This is particularly relevant considering the operational importance of the Port of Veracruz, which in 2025 ranked third nationally in container handling, with 1,299,337 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) moved , surpassed only by Manzanillo and Lázaro Cárdenas, according to data from the port authority itself.

For its part, T21 sought out CMA CGM executives to learn their position after the events that occurred between March 27 and April 4; however, the shipping company declined to offer statements at this time.

A navigation specialist who requested anonymity told T21 that the ship’s captain may have requested the cleaning of the vessel’s hull in anticipation of a possible denial of entry to its next ports of call due to hydrocarbon pollution, such as the port of Houston, Texas.

This situation has begun to affect port operations. The presence of the CMA CGM Moliere vessel at the ICAVE terminal, while the origin of the hydrocarbon is being clarified, has already led to delays in the arrival and servicing of other vessels , which anticipates disruptions to the logistics chain for foreign trade users, particularly importers and exporters.

In addition, the ICAVE terminal itself has been unable to unload a ship that arrived this week with new equipment , including dock and yard cranes, which adds pressure to operations at a port that remains one of the main container hubs in the country.

The impact comes in an already tense context. Since early March, an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico—whose origin has yet to be determined by federal authorities—has begun to affect regional maritime operations. Alerts from the logistics sector indicate that shipping companies such as Ocean Network Express (ONE) have reported navigation restrictions, vessel diversions, delays, and additional costs in ports like Veracruz and Altamira.

While there is no confirmation that the two events are linked , the temporal coincidence between an active regional spill and a local incident with no defined traceability introduces an additional factor of pressure on port operations.

Thus, what began as an event contained in a delimited area evolves into a broader scenario: hydrocarbons whose origin has not been determined, operations that begin to feel its effects, and a logistics chain that, faced with uncertainty, begins to adjust times and costs .

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El cargo Investigation underway into the origin of hydrocarbons surrounding a CMA CGM vessel in the port of Veracruz apareció primero en T21.

The Mexican Chamber of the Maritime Transport Industry (Cameintram) ratified José Manuel Urreta Ortega as its president for the 2026 term , during the organization’s annual assembly held at the Confederation of Industrial Chambers (Concamin) , in an event where Admiral Gerardo de Jesús Toledo Guzmán, Undersecretary of Maritime and Port Affairs of the Secretariat of the Navy , swore in the National Board of Directors.

Upon assuming his second year at the helm of the agency, Urreta Ortega expressed his gratitude for the trust placed in him by the country’s shipowners and their counterparts in the Mexican government and legislature, while outlining the key areas of focus for this new phase. “We have promoted efforts to incentivize shipbuilding and coastal shipping in Mexico , and we aim to maintain active collaboration in the development of policies to foster and develop the national merchant marine, in order to defend and promote greater participation by shipowners, service providers, and related maritime transport activities in Mexico,” he stated.

In his message, he stressed that port modernization will be a key factor for the sector’s growth, noting that “the progress of infrastructure projects will allow us to absorb the projected increases in maritime operations in the coming years.”

As part of its 2025 review, the organization reported progress in strengthening its institutional relationship with the Mexican Navy, the Port Captaincies and Maritime Affairs Unit, the National Customs Agency of Mexico (ANAM) , as well as with the authorities of the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec (CIIT) and the Navy Commission in the Chamber of Deputies . It also promoted new short sea shipping routes in coordination with the Port of Miami, in addition to holding working sessions with Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex ) to address issues related to payments to suppliers.

In international matters, Cameintram maintained collaboration with the International Maritime Organization on issues related to the decarbonization of the sector.

By 2026, the organization plans to continue its institutional collaboration with the federal government, particularly with the Secretariat of the Navy, as well as strengthen its relationship with Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex). Among its strategic projects, the Florida Project stands out, focused on developing short sea shipping routes between ports in the Gulf of Mexico and the state of Florida

The business leader pointed out that the sector’s main challenges are linked to the relocation of production chains, which demands greater efficiency in ports and fleets, as well as improvements in safety and connectivity in coastal shipping operations to reduce costs and transit times. In this context, he emphasized the opportunities presented by the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec and the sector’s participation in the renegotiations of the North American trade agreement.

Regarding cabotage, the aim is to increase the activity of affiliated companies in segments such as oil, offshore , mineral bulk, agricultural bulk and general cargo, in addition to strengthening coordination with authorities on regulatory issues, navigation permits and certifications.

Cameintram also promotes the development of shipyards in the country to strengthen shipbuilding and the national merchant fleet, which, according to the organization, would contribute to job creation and increased revenue, although this requires conditions such as legal certainty, financing schemes and customs facilitation.

In parallel, the sector faces the challenge of complying with international regulations for the reduction of polluting emissions, in line with the International Maritime Organization, as well as advancing in the adoption of digital tools and artificial intelligence for route optimization, vessel monitoring and supply chain management.

At the close of his remarks, Urreta Ortega emphasized the importance of maritime transport for the country’s foreign trade: “In this second year of work, we will sail together towards a more competitive, sustainable, and proudly Mexican maritime transport industry.”

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El cargo Urreta returns to lead Cameintram apareció primero en T21.

In the Mexican maritime-port sector, the lack of in-depth debate is not an accident: it’s part of the design. This was the argument put forth by Hugo Gómez, a consultant and instructor with decades of experience in maritime affairs, when presenting * Seas al límite. La pugna por una nueva gobierno oceánica * (Seas at the Limit: The Struggle for a New Oceanic Governance ) – available on Amazon – a book that doesn’t seek institutional complacency, but rather aims to open an uncomfortable conversation about the structural shortcomings that Mexico faces in maritime governance, research, and training

The book —a compilation of 65 reports written over five years— functions as a map of pending issues. “It’s like a kind of research catalog of topics that are still pending for the academic sector,” Gómez explained in an interview with T21 , emphasizing that much of the content engages with now unavoidable global agendas, such as marine sustainability, the role of European NGOs, and the entry into force of the High Seas Agreement (BBNJ). It is not a book focused on current events: it is an inventory of omissions.

From ocean governance to the transformation of port cities, the author confronts the reader with a system operating without real checks and balances. Cases like Tampico—with its port reconversion project—or the historical role of Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) on the Mexican coast appear not as local anecdotes, but as symptoms of an exhausted model. “We have many types, various typologies of ports that demand special treatment (…) and that is not being studied,” he warned.

One of the book’s most critical points is the near-total absence of maritime and port academic research in Mexico. For Gómez, this isn’t a lack of talent, but rather an institutional vicious cycle: “There’s no research because there aren’t any PhDs within the institution, and without PhDs, no research is done .” This diagnosis directly impacts the Maritime and Port University of Mexico (UMPM) —formerly Fidena—where, he says, neither reading nor critical thinking is encouraged, and where students don’t graduate with theses, but rather with “little projects” that don’t contribute to knowledge.

The critique is not abstract. Gómez recalled his experience at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) during a doctoral internship, where he identified another major shortcoming of the system: the inability to translate scientific language for the general public . “Many of the problems we face stem from a lack of information for the community… scientists write for scientists, and ordinary people have no idea,” he explained. This experience fueled his conviction to write in accessible language, first with * The Blue Economy* and now with *Seas at the Limit *.

The information deficit not only limits social awareness, but also blocks participatory processes. Gómez recalled an academic exercise carried out in Manzanillo, where universities were invited to reflect on the port-city relationship. The project failed when the Mexican Navy (Semar) denied access to basic information . “They refused to provide information, much less allow photographs… the students became discouraged, some even dropped out,” he explained. The message was clear: without data, there is no research; without research, there is no sound public policy.

This closed-minded approach is reflected in the lack of institutional checks and balances. Although the Ports Law includes provisions for citizen advisory committees, Gómez emphasized their practical uselessness: “The law states that the administration is not obligated to heed the recommendations… that’s essentially the same as doing nothing.” According to the author, a new ocean governance model demands that these mechanisms be binding, not merely decorative.

The specialist also touched on other uncomfortable topics during the interview, such as the crisis surrounding deepwater projects like Trion (a deepwater oil field in Mexico developed by Woodside and Pemex); the unlearned lessons of Macondo (the oil field in the Gulf of Mexico where the Deepwater Horizon disaster occurred in 2010, the largest oil spill in U.S. history); the technical weakening of agencies like Mexico’s Agency for Safety, Energy and the Environment (ASEA) ; and the budget cuts at the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) . All of this is happening while Mexico faces global debates such as deep-sea mining, about which, he warned, society remains uninformed.

Another critical issue is the training and treatment of seafarers. Gómez denounced a tacit alliance between shipowners, states, and international organizations to keep seafarers on board, deliberately limiting their training in areas such as logistics and management. “They don’t make them more competent because they’ll go ashore,” he stated . This logic is even replicated within the Mexican Navy, where, he noted, professional profiles were modified to prevent job mobility off the ship.

Likewise, other current issues were addressed during the interview, such as his rejection of the purchase of a new training ship by the port authority in Mexico, which summarizes Hugo Gómez’s position: without a profound reform of the educational and governance model, any investment is doomed to failure. “Mexico should not buy that ship (…) under that scheme, it is condemning it to failure,” he stated, recalling the history of corruption surrounding the Náuticas México . For Gómez, the resources would be better invested in a modern maritime university, focused on research, innovation, and maritime economics.

The diagnosis is completed by a generational clash. The new generations, he argued, find no place in a militarized system that stifles creativity . “They are training sailors for the 20th century, for a world that no longer exists,” he stated, warning that without freedom of thought, innovation is impossible.

Seas at the Limit is not just a compilation of texts: it’s a warning. In a country with over 11,000 kilometers of coastline, maritime potential remains underutilized due to a lack of vision, research, and governance. Gómez even issued a direct message to the new government: “Mexico needs to talk in terms of maritime economics… how can we take advantage of all this?” The question remains open, but the diagnosis is now clear.

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El cargo Seas at the Limit: Mexico’s Maritime Debt apareció primero en T21.

In a year-end marked by structural adjustments in the public sector, the Mexican Navy (Semar) took a step that completely reconfigures the country’s maritime and port governance. The afternoon edition of the Official Gazette of the Federation on December 11 published the new Internal Regulations of the Navy, which create the Undersecretariat of Maritime and Port Affairs , a high-level body that—under the command of an admiral—will centralize the management of the National Maritime Authority and the strategic definition of the Mexican port system.

The new design goes beyond administrative restructuring: it consolidates maritime security, port protection, the Merchant Marine, port development, and intergovernmental coordination under a single command structure. Its responsibilities include developing official Mexican standards for marine safety, security, and the environment; defining policies for water transport; coordinating with international organizations and federal agencies; and proposing legal and regulatory reforms to align the regulatory framework with global standards. The Undersecretariat will also determine the jurisdiction and classification of Port Captaincies and will play a direct role in overseeing state-owned enterprises in the sector.

To carry out this wide range of responsibilities, the Undersecretariat will rely on two key administrative units: the National Maritime Authority Unit and the Ports and Merchant Marine Unit , both reorganized with new powers and internal directions.

National Maritime Authority Unit: the operational arm of the maritime authority

The National Maritime Authority Unit —formerly the Port Captaincies and Maritime Affairs Unit, or Unicapam—will be responsible for the daily operations of the Mexican State as the National Maritime Authority. It will manage maritime and port security and protection; safeguard human life at sea; implement international standards; prevent pollution; investigate maritime accidents; conduct fisheries inspections; and manage the Single Digital Window.

This unit will manage the Port Captaincies and will have an active role in audits by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) , search and rescue, and supervision of master port development programs in the area of ​​safety and security.

To perform these functions, it will have three attached general directorates

• General Directorate of Port Captaincies.
• General Directorate of Maritime Protection and Certification.
• General Directorate of Liaison and Maritime Affairs.

These areas will provide technical and operational support for the surveillance, supervision, certification, inspection, and regulatory coordination required for the modernization of the Mexican maritime system.

Ports and Merchant Marine Unit: public policy, port development and sector regulation

The second revamped structure is the Ports and Merchant Marine Unit —formerly the General Coordination of Ports and Merchant Marine (CGPMM)—which will be responsible for leading public policy for the development of the port and merchant marine sector. It will have the authority to coordinate permits and authorizations; enable ports and terminals; regulate maritime services; administer the National Maritime Public Registry; and oversee infrastructure, tariffs, and specialized services such as towing and launch services.

The unit will also promote sustainability strategies, strengthening of cabotage, interaction of the National Port System with other modes of transport and nautical educational training, including the signing of professional titles for graduating personnel.

Its operational structure will consist of three general directorates:

• General Directorate of Ports.
• General Directorate of Merchant Marine.
• General Directorate of Port Development and Administration.

Each of these departments is key to coordinating the strategic planning of the National Port System , updating regulations, supporting the Merchant Marine, and overseeing state-owned port companies. The head of this unit must be a Captain or Chief Engineer of the Mexican Merchant Marine, reinforcing the technical nature of the position.

A redesign without a budget increase… and still no headlines

The decree will come into effect on December 12, and according to the transitional articles, the Navy does not foresee a budget increase to carry out this restructuring , which raises operational questions in a sector that demands high technical specialization and growing international responsibilities.

At the time of publication, the agency had not yet announced the individuals who will head the new Undersecretariat or those who will lead the attached administrative units. Their appointments will be crucial in shaping the course of this institutional transformation, which redefines how Mexico will exercise its maritime authority, manage its port system, and coordinate its Merchant Marine in the face of the sector’s global challenges.

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El cargo Semar redefines maritime-port governance: the Undersecretariat of Maritime and Port Affairs is created apareció primero en T21.

In Mexico, there persists a curious tendency to build state-owned ports that aspire to compete with established giants. It’s as if the mere construction of a pier could challenge decades of operation, connectivity, and institutional learning. Punta Colonet aims to rival Ensenada, while Matamoros presents itself as an alternative to Altamira . Both projects promise to reshape the logistics landscape, but they also highlight the gap between political ambition and the system’s actual capacity to sustain complex port models in underdeveloped regions.

In Baja California, José Saúl de los Santos, Director General of the Baja California Port Authority and Undersecretary of Economic Planning for the state , argued that port development cannot be understood without the state’s economic reconfiguration. Speaking at the 29th Annual Congress of Shipping Agents, organized by the Mexican Association of Shipping Agents (Amanac) , he noted that “more than 90% of Baja California’s economic activity is concentrated along the border,” and therefore the government seeks to decentralize economic activity and revitalize historically marginalized areas. From Ojos Negros to San Quintín, the goal is to establish a regional logistics system supported by underutilized airports, highways, a future railway, and production hubs that will pave the way for the revitalization of Punta Colonet.

The project, which has already seen decades of failed attempts, reached a turning point in September 2025 with the granting of the concession title by the Mexican Navy . De los Santos described it as “a very important milestone,” comparable to the approval of the Environmental Impact Statement a year earlier. The legal structure also changed: now APIBC—the majority state-owned company created to manage the project— is seeking partnerships with private companies to avoid indebting the government and to share the risk of a project planned in three phases that, according to the technical presentation, could handle up to 4.8 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) annually.

The plan’s figures are monumental: a 2,769-hectare site, 323 hectares of reclaimed land, 17.5-meter-wide access channels, 15 berths, and terminals for containers, liquids, mineral bulk, energy, and multipurpose cargo. Added to this is a 310-kilometer rail line that would cross into Arizona to connect with the Mexican and U.S. rail networks . “We’re talking about a decade to develop the port,” said De los Santos, although he projected starting operations in 2029, always subject to the Master Plan, which will be ready by the end of 2025.

The energy environment is key . Baja California, historically vulnerable, now boasts a surplus thanks to the Puerto Peñasco photovoltaic park and new gas pipelines that will allow the export of natural gas and hydrogen from Colonet. There are also water projects worth more than 24 billion pesos, reinforcing the narrative of an ecosystem capable of sustaining a mega industrial and port project without repeating past mistakes. The central message was clear: the state wants private investment that believes in a long-term vision, even if the results extend beyond the current administration.

But the inevitable question remains: can a port be successful from the start without a market demanding it from day one? Colonet aims to capture a share of the more than 30 million TEUs arriving from Asia to the northwestern United States. However, competing with the traffic anchored in Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Ensenada requires more than just good maps: it demands reliability, governance, and costs that only time will validate. The risk, as with any megaproject, is that the infrastructure will advance faster than the cargo volume .

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El cargo The new contenders on the port map: between state ambition and market reality apareció primero en T21.

Captain Paulino Morán officially stepped down as Director General of the Merchant Marine on July 31, 2025, after nearly five years of management in this office in various areas and positions, amid a restructuring of authority in the Mexican maritime sector.

T21 spoke with him a couple of days before his departure, justified by “personal reasons,” which marks the end of an administration that faced serious institutional setbacks and promoted an ambitious modernization agenda, with advances in digitalization, maritime training, and the reactivation of national cabotage.

Morán, with a career forged in both the public and private sectors, inherits a General Directorate of the Merchant Marine – an office belonging to the General Coordination of Ports and Merchant Marine (CGPMM) of the Ministry of the Navy (Semar) – with more agile and structured processes than those he received in 2021, when the agency was still in the hands of the then Ministry of Communications and Transportation -SCT (today the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation – SICT ).

Cabotage: between intention and institutional impulse

One of the priority areas of Morán’s administration was the promotion of cabotage, an activity historically neglected in Mexico’s maritime and port agenda. Under his leadership, the Merchant Marine successfully reactivated the Merchant Marine Development Fund (FONDEMAR) , with resources totaling 254 million pesos, operated by the National Finance Corporation (Nafin) and endorsed by the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit (SHCP) .

According to Morán, the fund is primarily focused on supporting coastal shipping projects under the Mexican flag and crew , seeking to incentivize the national fleet and combat its historical backlog. Although no agreements have been signed yet, some interested shipowners have already approached Nafin to apply for loans backed by FONDEMAR.

At the same time, the captain explained that technical support was provided to the new Matamoros port project, which received its first ship on July 31, 2025. The General Directorate of the Merchant Marine participated in the preparation of the maneuverability study that determined the maximum length, beam, and draft capacities , thus enabling its operation. Morán described this effort as “an honor,” as it is the first new port in decades.

Modernization: from bureaucracy to the digital system

When Morán took over as Director of Navigation in 2021 at the same General Directorate of the Merchant Marine, he detected a backlog of up to 10 years in the issuance of certificates and their endorsements for seafarers, critical inputs for merchant mariners to work. Under his leadership, he indicated that processes were automated, databases were digitized, and manual procedures that relied on paperwork and packaging were eliminated.

This structural change reduced the issuance time for endorsements from eight months to just three to five days, and the issuance of degrees went from a decade-long delay to a regularization of 1.5 months, with more than 1,800 professional degrees issued from 2021 to 2024 , and the first electronic degrees ready in June 2025.

Training and supervision with international standards

Another front was the organization of the maritime training system. Under his leadership, the Directorate standardized the names of programs and institutions to align with the national education system and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) STCW Convention . Nine bachelor’s programs with electronic degrees were established, and 18 private institutes were regularized, which must now comply with IMO model courses, camera monitoring, and instructor validation.

Morán’s motto was forceful: “We’re not paid to issue certificates, we’re paid to provide training .” This vision also translated into biometric control measures, the use of cameras in authorized clinics for medical examinations, and the establishment of an Advisory Committee, with the participation of the Internal Control Body of Semar, to oversee preventive medicine in maritime transport.

Career: from TMM to the General Directorate of the Merchant Marine

Paulino Morán graduated from the Tampico Merchant Nautical School . After these initial studies, he began his career at Grupo TMM in 1984, where he quickly rose to the rank of Captain. After a decade in the merchant and oil marine, he held executive positions abroad , including international management of tankers for operations in Houston and Coatzacoalcos.

Before entering public service, he was director of operations at Navalmex , a fuel transportation company. He moved into public administration in 2021, when he joined the Maritime Directorate in Manzanillo , and rose through the ranks to become Director General of the Merchant Marine in 2024, a position he held until his recent departure.

Earrings

In Morán’s opinion, the change in leadership of the maritime sector from the SCT to the SEMARNAT was a success. He acknowledged that direct communication with the Secretary of the Navy, Admiral Raymundo Morales Ángeles, and the General Coordinator of Ports and Merchant Marine, Captain Manuel Gutiérrez Gallardo, allowed for more focused management that was responsive to the needs of the sector , especially the most vulnerable sectors such as coastal fishermen and local nautical tourism.

In his own words, “we’re doing well,” although he admitted that challenges remain, such as fully updating electronic certificates and consolidating FONDEMAR in practice, among others. His departure leaves a newly paved path for his successor, in a sector that requires immediate updating.

Replacement

The website of the General Coordination of Ports and Merchant Marine has already announced Paulino Morán’s replacement. She is Captain Claudia Hernández Sordo , a graduate of the Tampico Merchant Nautical School. She has experience navigating bulk cargo vessels with a gross tonnage of 35,000, RoRo-Pax vessels of up to 24,000, semi-submersible exploration and drilling units, and oceanographic vessels with the Mexican Navy.

He has contributed to drydock operations in Mexico and abroad, as well as in offshore and coastal navigation . Administratively, he has held leadership and management positions, overseeing the implementation of SGS, SGI, and ISPS management systems, as well as insurance management and obtaining statutory and class certificates. He has also worked with WISTA International for the development and founding of WISTA Mexico since 2019.

She was recognized by the Secretariat of the Navy on International Women in the Maritime Sector Day 2025 and was recently named a Goodwill Ambassador for the CHIRP Program, where she promotes best practices in maritime security nationwide.

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El cargo Paulino Morán leaves the Merchant Marine: a management legacy in cabotage and digitalization apareció primero en T21.

The port of Lázaro Cárdenas , the second busiest on Mexico’s Pacific coast, took the lead during the fourth month of this year in terms of the average time required by a trucking unit to collect imported merchandise.

According to the Average Port Transportation Time Index (ITPAP) , conducted by T21 Business Intelligence, a tractor-trailer truck took up to 10 hours on average in this Michoacan port for the entire cargo collection process.

This figure far exceeds the average time for the four ports considered by ITPAP (Altamira, Veracruz, Manzanillo and Lázaro Cárdenas) , which in April was 6.6 decimal hours (converted this way for comparison).

During the fourth month of 2025, the port of Lázaro Cárdenas handled 60,531 20-foot containers (TEU), a measure of maritime standardization, which represented an 8.2% increase compared to the same month a year earlier, according to statistics from the General Coordination of Ports and Merchant Marine (CGPMM) , an office of the Navy .

The 6.6 decimal hours reported by the ITPAP in April of this year is slightly higher than the result from a month earlier, when it resulted in 5.8 decimal hours, but it is also the first increase recorded after a downward trend shown by the first three months of 2025 .

For the April 2025 registry, the ITPAP used data from 2,408 trucking movements at the analyzed ports as a reference. This is a significant sample relative to the number of entries reported by the ports and seeks to show the current situation of these maritime hubs.

The indicator compiles monthly information provided by trucking companies and GPS vehicle tracking companies; it focuses on the average time tractor-trailers remain in operation, broken down into three critical categories during the cargo collection process: maneuvering, waiting, and customs.

In this regard, the ITPAP showed that in Lázaro Cárdenas the customs process took 4.8 decimal hours , while the waiting time was 3.1 decimal hours and the maneuver took 2.1 decimal hours.

Below are the individual port times for April 2025.

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El cargo Port of Lázaro Cárdenas demands more time for trucking in April: ITPAP apareció primero en T21.

Mexican ports have surpassed the milestone of three million 20-foot containers (TEU) handled in the first four months of 2025, despite the uncertainty affecting global trade affected by more aggressive tariff policies.

The exact figure is three million 62 thousand 957 TEUs handled in the period January-April of this year, 3.8% more than in the same period last year , according to statistics from the General Coordination of Ports and Merchant Marine (CGPMM) , an office of the Secretariat of the Navy (Semar) .

The majority of these containers are used for deep-sea operations (imports and exports) , with 3,032,963 TEUs, a 3.3% increase depending on the comparison periods; while only 29,994 TEUs have been handled in cabotage , a 102% increase.

Divided by coastline, the Pacific , with a strong influence of trade connecting with Asia, operated two million 281 thousand 412 TEUs in the January-April period of this year, an annual increase of 5.8 percent.

Here, the port of Manzanillo is the “star,” with 1,291,720 TEUs, or 1.5% more; while Lázaro Cárdenas , the second busiest, has handled 803,191 TEUs, a 12.9% increase.

In the Gulf of Mexico, 781,545 TEUs were handled in the first four months of this year, just 1.7% below the figure reported for the same period last year.

The port of Veracruz saw a 6.8% drop in throughput during the period, with 396,154 TEUs reported; while Altamira saw a 3.7% increase, with 298,957 TEUs.

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El cargo Ports in Mexico exceed 3 million TEUs through April apareció primero en T21.

LOGRA , a Mexican multimodal port logistics services company, was awarded a favorable ruling in the bidding process launched in the second half of last year for the construction and operation of a new Specialized Automobile Import and Export Terminal in the southern bay of the port of Veracruz.

The National Port System Administration (Asipona) Veracruz , the port authority, carried out the opening of the projects on May 14, resulting in the winning company being the Yucatecan company, which already has an operation in the northern bay of the port with a terminal specialized in mineral bulk , known as OPEVER.

On the occasion of its 30th anniversary as a port terminal operator, LOGRA publicly recognized the work of the Ministry of the Navy , in coordination with the federal government, for its ongoing efforts to strengthen the infrastructure and competitiveness of the national port system. In particular, it highlighted the exemplary conduct of the recent bidding process.

In an interview, Gerardo Antonio Díaz Roche, of LOGRA, expressed his appreciation to the Ministry of the Navy, the General Coordination of Ports and Merchant Marine (CGPMM) , and especially to Asipona Veracruz, “for their leadership and commitment to the growth of the sector.” He emphasized that open and transparent processes like this bidding process send a clear message of legal certainty to investors, generating confidence to continue investing in the country’s port development and, in doing so, strengthening the competitiveness of national industries.

The businessman celebrated the push for strategic projects such as the expansion of the Port of Progreso, convinced that, under a professional and transparent management model , Mexico will continue to consolidate itself as a world-class logistics leader.

This new automotive port infrastructure is projected to be one of the most important in the Gulf of Mexico and will be a strategic location to strengthen Mexico’s connection with the North American and European markets.

The terminal has a space of 15.8 hectares , a warehouse with the possibility of remodeling, and three shared rail spurs; in addition, its static capacity is approximately 11,000 units.

The port of Veracruz handles approximately 40% of the country’s automotive volume, ranking first nationwide in vehicle movement.

By the first quarter of 2025, the port of Veracruz handled 140,282 vehiclesfor import and export services, a 24.9% decrease compared to the same period last year, according to data from the CGPMM (Central Transportation and Logistics Authority).

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