The saturation of the port of Manzanillo and the expansion work on the highway towards Colima are putting pressure on freight transport, generating congestion, longer travel times and additional costs for companies that depend on Mexico’s main commercial port, according to Yax Tzel Nolasco Gómez, president of the Manzanillo Freight Transporters Union (UTCM) .

According to UTCM , the combination of both factors has complicated the daily operations of carriers and is beginning to affect the entire logistics chain , from operators to importers and exporters.

“Today the port is experiencing considerable saturation, which has caused the collapse of each and every road leading to and from the port, as well as its entrance,” Nolasco noted.

He explained that congestion at the entrances forces cargo units to wait longer to enter or leave the port area, which increases operating costs and reduces the efficiency of freight transport.

Adding to this situation are the ongoing road widening works on the Manzanillo-Colima highway . According to Nolasco Gómez, one section has been under construction for over three and a half years without completion, while another recently began; however, both continue to cause problems due to a lack of signage, traffic coordination, and a more efficient response to congestion, particularly in the section known as La Salada .

The leader warned that these factors ultimately affect the country’s logistical competitiveness , as it is the port with the highest volume of containerized cargo in Mexico.

“We must not forget that, of every 10 containers that transit through the country, four enter through Manzanillo,” he stated, noting that any delay in this corridor affects the supply of goods for various productive sectors.

The disruptions to freight transport are occurring within a context of sustained growth in port activity. According to the National Port System Administration (Asipona) Manzanillo , between January and June of this year, the port handled 15.5 million tons of commercial cargo , a 4.9% increase compared to the same period in 2015. If total cargo is considered, including the movement of petroleum products, the volume reached 16.3 million tons , 5.5% more than last year.

This increase represents greater demand for the land infrastructure connecting the port to the rest of the country . During the same period, TEU (20-foot equivalent unit) traffic reached 2.07 million , 9.9% higher than in the same period of 2025, while vessel arrivals grew by 8.7% . These indicators imply a greater flow of goods and, consequently, increased traffic of freight trucks accessing the port area.

Regarding the surveillance of the corridor, he clarified that the problem is not the absence of the National Guard , but rather that the operational capacity is insufficient to handle the flow of vehicles that travel daily on the federal highway.

“Yes, there is a National Guard presence; the problem is that it’s not enough. We need more patrols and more support in terms of patrols,” he commented. He added that around eight thousand vehicles travel along this corridor daily , so he considered it necessary to strengthen the presence of authorities to respond more quickly to incidents and reduce disruptions to freight transport.

The need to strengthen coordination between authorities and stakeholders in the port community was also reflected in a document released by UTCM, in which the Manzanillo Customs Directorate proposes actions to address the congestion at the port’s entrances. According to information shared by the organization, these requested measures would involve the National Port System Administration (Asipona) Manzanillo , whose director general also chairs the Manzanillo Port Community (Copoma) .

According to UTCM, until the pending infrastructure is completed and measures are implemented to expedite access to the port, freight transport will continue to face delays that impact logistics competitiveness and Mexican foreign trade.

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El cargo At the limit! Port congestion and road construction are putting pressure on freight transport in Manzanillo apareció primero en T21.

Last September, T21 documented the false starts in Manzanillo : maneuvers canceled even when the driver arrives on time, costs that no one acknowledges, and an appointment system that has become unpredictable. Today, carriers say the problem not only persists but has become more frequent .

Each day begins with the same question: will the appointment go ahead or will it be canceled at the last minute? Among trucking operators and business owners , the constant is the same: showing up doesn’t guarantee getting in, and getting in doesn’t guarantee getting paid.

Truck drivers agreed that the problem has gone beyond mere operational issues, becoming a drain on both resources and personnel that no one is compensating for. Yax Tzel Nolasco Gómez, president of the Manzanillo Freight Carriers Union (UTCM) , described a scenario where costs skyrocket even when the truck doesn’t even make it into the port. As he explained, “We’ve already spent money on diesel, we’ve spent money… we used a driver, who had to sit there waiting.” This downtime, paid for out of our own pockets, ends up becoming a bill that often no one wants to absorb.

Claiming payment for fraudulent freight has become a technical battle . Carriers must provide meticulous evidence : GPS movements, complete traceability, photographs, and even the so-called “mirror account,” which confirms that the vehicle was indeed in the queue. Even so, the response from clients is often evasive. Antonio Chávez Camacho, general manager of JJAE Transportaciones , summarized it this way: “It’s sometimes the only way to get payment for fraudulent freight,” emphasizing that, even with proof, payment often doesn’t materialize.

The frustration stems not only from the wait, but also from the lack of improvement despite months of meetings . Chávez acknowledged that they have held multiple working sessions with the National Port System Administration (Asipona) Manzanillo and the terminals, but the outcome is discouraging: “The situation remains the same; we’re still looking for someone to blame instead of solutions.” Furthermore, he admitted that “there is no solution. There is no… any improvement whatsoever.”

Nolasco Gómez agreed that there has been no progress and pointed to an additional factor: the port access works , which have dragged on for years without results. “These works… which should have been finished by now, have been going on for almost three years,” he stated, emphasizing that this delay maintains a domino effect that is felt every day. Although customs recently announced a temporary extension of operating hours, the adjustment seems insufficient: “It will close at 10 p.m., it’s temporary, but it doesn’t do much good.”

Adding to this economic strain is a phenomenon that deeply worries transporters: the resignation of drivers , tired of the operational stress and the conditions they face during maneuvers. Chávez warned that “this is causing even more drivers to leave,” both on the road and in last-mile delivery, a trend that exacerbates the shortage of specialized personnel in the region.

Security has also deteriorated . Amid uncontrolled, drawn-out waits, looting has been reported right in the queue. Chávez recounted a recent case: “They were already being robbed in the lines,” a demonstration that the idle time not only represents economic losses, but also risks to the physical safety of the operators and the cargo.

The sector acknowledged that communication with the authorities exists, but tangible solutions are urgently needed . Meanwhile, each missed appointment represents wasted diesel, unpaid work hours, emotional strain, and vehicles that aren’t generating income . And although the appointment system was designed to streamline operations, today it’s seen by the carriers themselves as a mechanism that, in practice, multiplies rejections and shifts the costs to those with the least margin to absorb them.

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El cargo Manzanillo: the wear and tear left by false starts apareció primero en T21.