Mexican Ports' Cargo Volumes Surge In January

Mexican Ports' Cargo Volumes Surge In January

Mexico's major ports experienced a significant surge in container volume during January, reflecting the country's growing importance as a trade hub.

According to the Mexican naval ministry, the nation's 18 ports handled a combined 728,116 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), marking an impressive 20% year-over-year increase.

Pacific Coast Ports

The bulk of this container movement was concentrated at Mexico's nine Pacific Coast ports, which collectively handled a staggering 532,534 TEUs for the month.

Two of the largest ports on the Pacific Coast, Manzanillo and Lazaro Cardenas, achieved record-breaking container movements in January. The Port of Manzanillo, Mexico's busiest container port, reported a 13.8% year-over-year increase, handling 309,251 TEUs. Meanwhile, the Port of Lazaro Cardenas witnessed an even more remarkable 40% year-over-year growth, processing 185,406 TEUs.

Nearshoring Boom

Siddharth Priyesh, the vice president of the Americas and Caribbean at CrimsonLogic, attributed this surge in containerized freight import volumes to the increasing trend of foreign manufacturers relocating their operations to Mexico, particularly in the border city of Tijuana, a process known as nearshoring. This strategic move has bolstered Mexico's position as a key player in the global supply chain, attracting more containerized cargo to its ports.

Image: Manzanillo Port in Mexico.