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Mexico's Pacific ports race to keep pace with container growth

Mexico's chief gateways on the Pacific coast have chalked up double-digit growth this year and have to expand to keep up. Port users are bracing themselves for disruptions. Question marks over Mexico's trade relations with its northern neighbour and pressure from Washington to take a tougher stance vis-à-vis China have not dented flows through the ports of Manzanillo and Lazaro Cardenas this year. Manzanillo, the nation's largest container gateway, handled 2,455,953 teu in the first seven months of the year, an increase of 11.7% The port of Lazaro Cardenas saw a 6% increase in container volume to 1.34m teu in the same period, which helped boost its overall throughput 16% over the first half of 2025, despite an 8% drop in vehicle imports. The following month saw a 7% year-on-year increase in box traffic at the port. APM Terminals Lazaro Cardenas reported 35% growth in its container volume for the first half of the year over the January-June period in 2025, which climbed from 508,506 teu then to 684,599 teu. Over in Manzanillo the Contecon terminal handled 1,022,182 teu in the first seven months of this year, an increase of 20.1%. The port's overall box throughput in this period climbed 11.7% year on year to 2,455,953 teu. Management is gearing up for bigger volumes going forward. Last month Contecon obtained clearance to host vessels with draft up to 15.5 metres, which allows the terminal to handle ultra-large container vessels (ULCVs) up to 23,000 teu, the only terminal on Mexico's Pacific coast cleared for these ships. This calls for matching infrastructure developments on piers, cranes, yards and processes to handle this traffic. Contecon already has some of the necessary pieces in place. In January it took delivery of six super post-Panamax cranes, three of which can move 18 containers across, while the other three can handle ships with up to 22 containers across their decks. Another critical element is to beef up customs capacity to handle such volumes. In late July operations at the port ground to a halt after a downpour resulted in a power outage that took down customs systems, leading to a line-up of some 5,000 trucks on the highway leading to the port. Last year a strike by customs personnel at the port triggered massive disruption that prompted cargo owners to route their traffic over Lazaro Cardenas instead. On the other hand, the Contecon facility handled a record-breaking volume of nearly 4,000 containers in 48 hours on 20-21 August during a spell when opening hours were extended around the clock, supported by extended operating hours for customs. Contecon Manzanillo CEO José Antonio Contreras stressed the investments that had been made in the facility and the co-ordination with customs that made this possible. Customs are also a question mark at Lazaro Cardenas. In April several stakeholders voiced their frustration over inspection delays that kept some containers stuck for up to 30 days, an ordeal exacerbated by storage fees kicking in after 15 days. A year ago truckers staged a blockade of the port over a litany of grievances led by lengthy wait times for customs clearance. And then there are mixed feelings over an initiative by the local branch of ASIPONA, the administration of the national port system, that kicked off in early June. Part of its MX$1.729bn investment programme aims to improve road access to the port through two key infrastructure developments. The lion's share of the project is concentrated on the widening of an alternative route to the port from currently two to four lanes and the expansion of a bridge. Besides expanding existing road capacity, the project aims to separate port moves from local traffic. While this promises better access down the road, there is concern about the impact of the road work on traffic flows to and from the port. ASIPONA has warned that work areas for construction could turn into choke points for cargo flows during the process.

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Air China Cargo begins Ürümqi Tianshan-Prestwick route

Air China Cargo has established a new route between Ürümqi Tianshan International Airport in China and Glasgow Prestwick Airport in Scotland. The new service, which commenced on Sunday 13 September, will operate twice a week and adds to Air China Cargo's existing connections between Prestwick and Guangzhou Baiyun, Chengdu, and Shanghai. This latest route will diversify Prestwick's China network and give Scottish exporters access to China's northwest region, pointed out the airport. "Air China's decision to add Ürümqi to its Prestwick network is another important step in a partnership that has grown significantly in a relatively short period of time," said Jules Matteoni, chief executive, Glasgow Prestwick Airport. "We have worked closely with Air China to understand exactly what they need from Prestwick and where we can support the continued development of their operations. "The addition of another two weekly flights reflects the trust that has been built between our teams and, importantly, creates a direct trade lane between Scotland and a new region of China." New links to China's northwest will support Prestwick's seafood export service, which saw 1.78m kg of Scottish salmon exported in the first six months of the year, as the airport continued to expand its cool chain capabilities. "Ürümqi opens up new opportunities for Scottish and UK exporters, particularly the salmon and seafood sector and Scottish whisky, where speed, reliability, and specialist handling are critical," commented Colin Dai, regional director - Asia, Prestwick. "We want Prestwick to be an airport where our airline partners can grow with confidence. "Air China's continued investment in its network here shows what can be achieved when we work together to develop routes that make commercial sense for the airline, the airport, and the Scottish and UK businesses that rely on regular uplift and connectivity." Prestwick now accommodates 16 weekly scheduled services to and from mainland China.