Maritime Trade Surges: Mexican Ports Set New Record in First Quarter of 2024

According to statistics published by Mexico's General Coordination of Ports and Merchant Marine, Mexico's seaports moved a record 2.95 million units from January to April 2024. This represented an 18.2 percent year-on-year increase. Among these, the nine ports on Mexico's Pacific coast accounted for the majority of container movements during this period, totaling 2.14 million TEUs, marking a 19 percent year-on-year increase.

The port of Manzanillo continues to consolidate its position as the main commercial port on the Mexican Pacific, registering a year-on-year increase of 14.5 percent to 1.27 million TEUs, while the port of Lázaro Cárdenas saw a significant year-on-year rise of 35 percent to 711,148 units. Additionally, the port of Mazatlán reported a 39 percent increase during the first four months of 2024, with 12,221 TEUs.

Meanwhile, the ports on the Gulf coast of Mexico reported a total of 795,337 TEUs from January to April, a year-on-year increase of 14.3 percent. The port of Veracruz emerged as the most active container port, with a total of 424,949 units, a 21 percent year-on-year increase. Altamira, in Tamaulipas, was the second most active port with a total of 288,187 TEUs, reflecting a 7.5 percent year-on-year increase.

Maritime transport is the backbone of international trade, efficiently moving large volumes of goods across long distances. In Mexico, ports play a crucial role in this dynamic, facilitating the flow of goods between domestic and international ports, both in the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans, underscoring the strategic importance of maritime transport in the national and global economy.