The logistics supply chain connecting the Mexican market is undergoing a significant expansion. Notably, an increasing number of shipping lines are offering direct services to Mexico from the Asia-Pacific region. Additionally, with the US administration’s approval for expanded rail infrastructure connectivity, faster connections are becoming possible compared to existing transportation routes.
According to industry sources, major container shipping lines are launching direct services to Mexico to improve transit times for US imports originating from the Far East. Cosco, for instance, already calls at three Mexican Pacific ports—Ensenada, Manzanillo, and Lazaro Cardenas—through its WSA5 loop, which includes stops in Busan, Dalian, Qingdao, Shanghai, Ningbo, and Yokohama.
Last month, CMA CGM announced a weekly container service connecting Asia and the west coast of Mexico with eight vessels. This route departs from Tianjin, China, and calls at Qingdao, Busan, Ensenada, Manzanillo, and Lazaro Cardenas before returning to Yokohama, Busan, and Tianjin.
This trend is driven by Mexico’s emergence as an optimal import destination for Asian goods due to nearshoring. As of April, cargo imports through Mexican ports reached 12.9 million TEUs, marking a 17.7% increase compared to the same period last year. Furthermore, the volume of cargo crossing the border from Mexico to the US is surging, with $200 billion worth of transit cargo recorded in the first quarter alone. While trucking accounts for the largest share of this transportation, rail transport is also on the rise, contributing 12.2%, primarily through Laredo, Texas (43.3%), and Eagle Pass (35.3%).
Consequently, expanding rail transport across the US-Mexico border has become crucial. The US administration recently approved three cross-border bridge construction projects to facilitate the movement of vehicles and trains between the two countries.
This approval will enable the simultaneous construction of a rail bridge connecting Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras in Mexico, as well as a bridge linking Brownsville and Matamoros. Additionally, the expansion of a bridge connecting Laredo, Texas, and Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, is also underway.
These developments are expected to further strengthen the position of Laredo, Texas, which surpassed Los Angeles last year to become the top US import port.
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