The Port of Manzanillo handles more than 40% of the country’s containers, and through it, 70% of the exports are channeled. The increase in commercial flow from Asia, including vehicles, has allowed the Port of Manzanillo to increase commercial cargo movement by 7% at the close of the first bimester. According to the Manzanillo National Port System Administration (Asipona), commercial cargo movement reached a total of 4,922,000 tons (excluding petroleum products) between January and February 2024, representing 316,000 tons more than the same period in 2023. Veracruz is the third most important port in Latin America and the largest in container reception in Mexico, so during this period, containerized cargo increased by 15.6%, from 3,203,000 to 3,704,000 tons.
After significant investments to increase its capacity, the Port has been developed to streamline trade, following the saturation faced by other port entry points.
The Manzanillo Terminals and Operators Association (ASTOV) reported that 61% of cargo movement in the port was due to import activities, which recorded a 14% growth compared to the first two months of last year, while 15% corresponded to exports, 18% to transshipment, and 6% to cabotage.
The report especially highlights the 1,267% increase in vehicle imports, totaling 1,039 units in January and February, compared to 76 in 2023. Similarly, there was a 23.6% increase in agricultural bulk cargo, with nearly 346,000 tons. The Port of Manzanillo handles more than 40% of the country’s containers, and through it, 70% of the exports are channeled.
During the first bimester of 2024, 285 vessels arrived in Manzanillo, of which 184, equivalent to 63%, were container vessels; 35 were petroleum product vessels, 35 were general cargo vessels, 22 were bulk mineral vessels, eight were agricultural bulk vessels, and one was a gas vessel.
Additionally, seven cruise ships arrived, one more than in 2023, with a total of more than 17,000 passengers, a figure 7,000 higher than last year.
In the last three years, the port of Manzanillo has increased its import cargo volumes by 54%, from an average of 1,800 to 3,000 containers per day, consolidating itself as the most important port facility on the Pacific coast in Latin America.
