According to Mexico’s naval ministry, the country’s 18 ports experienced a 20% year-over-year increase in container volume in January, handling a total of 728,116 twenty-foot equivalent units. The majority of this volume was handled by the nine Pacific Coast ports, which accounted for 532,534 TEUs in January. Both Manzanillo and Lazaro Cardenas, Mexico’s largest Pacific Coast ports, reported record container movements during the month.
Manzanillo, the busiest container port in Mexico, saw a 13.8% year-over-year increase with 309,251 TEUs, while Lazaro Cardenas reported a 40% increase with 185,406 TEUs. This growth in containerized freight import volumes can be attributed to more foreign manufacturers nearshoring their operations, especially in Tijuana.
CrimsonLogic, a technology company specializing in trade facilitation and compliance, has witnessed significant growth in their clients’ businesses due to nearshoring activities. This trend has led to a sustained increase in containerized freight movements, with Gulf Coast ports also reporting a total of 195,582 TEUs in January.
The Port of Veracruz was the busiest Gulf Coast container port with 99,765 TEUs, followed by Altamira with 76,646 TEUs. Overall, containerized freight movements bound for the United States have shown positive signs, with imports increasing by 9% year-over-year in December.
As consumer demand continues to drive the increase in container volumes, CrimsonLogic expects this trend to be sustained, particularly in direct cross-border business-to-consumer orders. This positive sentiment has led to an overall increase in orders and shipments, signaling a strong foundation for future growth in the container shipping industry.
