Mexican ports had the best year in their history in 2021, handling 7.85 million TEU.
The figure marks an increase of 21.5% compared to 6.46 million TEU registered in 2020, and an increase of 10.5% compared to 2019, when the ports first surpassed the 7.1 million TEU barrier.
According to statistics from the Ministry of the Navy (Semar), imports amounted to 3.98 million TEU, an increase of 23.4% compared to 3.22 million TEU in 2020; while exports were 3.87 million TEU, up 19.8% based on 3.23 million TEU year over year.
Full containers — 71.5% of the total — represented 5.62 million TEU, an increase of 24.5% while empties — 28.5% of the total — were up 14.8% to 2.23 million TEU.
Based on figures from Semar’s General Coordination of Ports and Merchant Marine (CGPMM), Pacific ports moved a total of 5.55 million TEU, up 24.6% over 2020’s 4.46 million TEU.
The Port of Manzanillo handled 3.37 million TEU (+15.9%); Lazaro Cardenas 1.69 million TEU (+58.5%); Ensenada 394,911 TEU (+2.6%); Mazatlan 41.895 TEU (+0.5%); Puerto Chiapas 41,352 TEU (-2.2%); Guaymas 15,695 TEU (-1.2%).
Container volumes also grew in the ports of the Gulf of Mexico to a total of 2.30 million TEU in 2021, which represented an increase of 14.9% compared to 2 million TEU in 2020, according to Semar statistics.
Veracruz moved 1.16 million TEU (+15.8%); Altamira 885,457 TEU (+16.3%); Progreso 153,880 TEU (+4.3%); Tuxpan 53,956 TEU (+32.3%); Tampico 16.729 TEU (+9.2%); Coatzacoalcos 16,404 TEU (-31.5%).
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