Port services company Contecon Manzanillo has announced plans to invest US $300 million by 2025 to expand its operations at the port of Manzanillo, Colima, on Mexico’s Pacific Coast.
“We are excited about our expansion project, which will strengthen our operations and contribute to the state’s economic growth,” head of the company José Antonio Contreras said in a statement.
Contecon Manzanillo develops and operates the Container Terminal Specialized II (TEC II) in the port’s northern zone. It is a subsidiary of the Philippine company International Container Terminal Services, Inc., founded in 1987.
With a handling capacity of 1.4 million containers per year, TEC II carries out around 910 monthly services. The new upgrades will allow Contecon Manzanillo to increase the number of annual containers to over 2 million.
“Years of experience in the port industry in Mexico, together with the commitment of our team, have made this important achievement possible,” Contreras said.
The new upgrades, combined with the company’s latest acquisitions, will increase the port’s operational capacity, Contecon Manzanillo said. With a total investment of US $230 million, Contecon Manzanillo recently acquired two ship-to-shore gantry cranes (STS), the largest on the American continent, and five rubber-tired gantry cranes (RTGs).
In his statement, Contreras said the company is “a fundamental pillar in foreign trade and a benchmark in the port sector.” In Q1, the company saw a 29% increase in cargo handling, with a total movement of 466,000 containers compared to 360,000 the previous year. Likewise, it reported that export merchandise grew by 39%, from 136,268 in 2023 to 189,188 this year.
“We are proud of our achievements and look to the future with optimism and determination, being part of the engine of development and progress,” Contreras added.
Contecon Manzanillo has operated in Mexico since 2010. The main shipping companies that arrive at Contecon’s terminal include CSL, MSC and CMA.
Manzanillo is Mexico’s largest port. Its managers came under fire recently after Mexican customs authorities had to close the port to tractor-trailers for over 24 hours between August 1 and 2, causing a 63-kilomter traffic jam around the port. One truck driver died as a result of the delays when he suffered a heart attack at the wheel of his vehicle and could not access medical attention.
The city is also the state of Colima’s main tourist destination, with a high concentration of swordfish, making it a popular destination for deep-sea sport fishing.
Delta recently announced it will operate weekly flights to Manzanillo from Los Ángeles starting on Dec. 21, and a nonstop service from Atlanta starting on Nov. 2.
Aeroméxico will also operate flights from Manzanillo to Los Angeles from Dec. 21 through April 25, 2025.
With reports from Milenio
