Manzanillo: Goods wait in line for seven hours! Is the 'red inspection' also increased?

The commercial logistics system in Mexico presents an unusual structural weakness:Despite having a long coastline, its foreign trade heavily relies on land transportation, exposing a "hidden weakness" in Mexico's commercial logistics - ports.However, with the new government at the helm, this situation is ushering in a turning point.

According to the National Institute of Statistics and Geography of Mexico (INEGI), two-thirds of exported goods and nearly half of imported goods are transported by road.In contrast, the proportion of sea freight is very low, only 17% of the total export volume and 35% of the total import volume.

This "heavy land, light sea" model has led to severe traffic congestion along the over 3000 kilometer border between northern Mexico and the United States. The 50 highway and railway crossings along the US Mexico border are already saturated, greatly restricting logistics efficiency.

Francisco Cervantes, Chairman of the Corporate Coordination Committee (CCE), pointed out that Mexico has a unique geographical advantage that can connect Europe, Asia, and North and South America,However, the outdated port infrastructure seriously hinders the realization of this potential.

At present, Mexico's international maritime activities are highly concentrated in the four major hub ports of Manzanillo, Lhasa Rocardenas, Veracruz, and Altamira, which together carry 76% of the maritime throughput.Of the 135.8 million tons of imported and exported goods handled by Mexico last year, 73% were imports, further highlighting the insignificant contribution of ports in exports.

Due to the lack of dense shipping routes and stable intermodal networks, Mexican ports also lack competitiveness in logistics costs. Cervantes emphasized that if Mexico does not prioritize the development of ports, the integration of the Americas will only be "empty talk". He believed that the southern region has enormous development potential, which can be connected to the economic center of the East Coast of the United States through multimodal transport, and further expanded to the markets of South America and Europe.

In order to change this situation, Mexican President Simbaum has elevated port development to the core of national strategy.The government expects public investment to reach 142 billion pesos during its current term, accompanied by private investment of 264 billion pesos, to implement up to 12 port projects,This includes the expansion of ports in Guaymas, Manzanillo, Lhasa Rocardenas, and Acapulco, as well as the renovation of ports in Salina Cruz, Chiapas, Cuazcacoalcos, and Dubocas, and the expansion of ports in Progreso, Sebaplaya, Veracruz, Altamira, and Matamoros.

This strategy is gradually being implemented, and some key projects are being activated:

·The restart of Matamoros Port:After 24 years of silence, Matamoros Port resumed operations in August this year. As the first newly built large port in Mexico in over 20 years, its proximity to Monterrey makes it a multimodal hub for the steel, automotive parts, and energy industries, perfectly fitting the trend of nearshore outsourcing.

·Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec:The President of Pacific Kansas City Railway Company (CPKC) in Canada has revealed that the line connecting Salina Cruz Port and Kwazcoa Alcos Port has been put into operation. This transoceanic corridor will not only serve the United States and Asia, but also become an important passage connecting North and South America and Europe.

Mexican ports are gradually transforming from their commercial logistics "weakness" to the "key puzzle" that opens up a new era. The determination and investment of the new government indicate that Mexico will usher in a more efficient and diversified logistics era. For all enterprises engaged in Sino Mexican trade, closely monitoring and utilizing the new opportunities for port development will be an important strategy to solidify their competitiveness in the global market.