Statistics from the Port Authority of Manzanillo show that from January to July 2024, a total of 2,266,590 twenty-foot containers (TEU) were handled. This standardized port metric represents a 9.7% increase compared to the same period last year.
Of these, 977,507 TEUs were in import services, representing a 15.7% increase compared to the same period last year, while exports were 940,082 TEUs, a 15.6% increase.
Transshipment activity, however, experienced a year-over-year decline of 14.6%, with 349,001 TEUs, according to data from the National Port System Administration (Asipona) Manzanillo.
In terms of volume, containerized cargo showed an annual growth rate of 6.7% for the January-July period this year, a total of 13,776,436 tons.
Regarding the arrival of ships with containerized cargo, Asipona Manzanillo reported the arrival of 652 vessels, which is 13.3% fewer than before. This decrease is attributed to changes in the strategy of some shipping lines that are deploying larger ships to take advantage of economies of scale.
Recently, the freight forwarder Eternity Group Mexico indicated that the increases in container volume reported by the ports of Manzanillo and Lázaro Cárdenas this year—two of the most important ports on the Mexican Pacific coast—occur in the context of “enormous operational challenges” faced by both maritime hubs.
Just on August 1st, the Port of Manzanillo experienced one of these operational challenges when roadways in its vicinity collapsed, causing kilometer-long queues of trucks that were stuck for over 24 hours. Unofficial reports suggest that a failure in the customs system triggered this situation, which has recurred in recent years.
Source: Portal Portuario
