Port of Manzanillo's Container Traffic Grows 9.5% Through September

The Port of Manzanillo posted a 9.5% increase in containerized cargo throughput during the first nine months of 2026, reaching nearly 3,154,778 TEUs. According to the Association of Manzanillo Terminals and Operators (Astom), this growth was driven mainly by exports, which rose 14% over the period.

According to the National Port System Administration (Asipona) Manzanillo, the port handled 3,154,778 TEUs between January and September 2026, compared to 2,880,214 TEUs in the same period of 2025. T21, citing data from the Secretariat of the Navy (Semar), put the figure at 3,154,781 TEUs. According to Portal Portuario, exports accounted for 44% of total throughput, imports for 41%, and transshipments for 15%.

Among the port's terminals, Contecon handled 17.1% of the containers moved and SSA Mexico 11.1% of the total operated so far this year, according to Asipona Manzanillo data. During the same period, 1,306 vessels called at the port, 6% more than in 2025, of which 1,180 carried commercial cargo and 126 carried petroleum products; 894 vessels, or 76% of those carrying commercial cargo, moved containers. A total of 23 shipping lines served Manzanillo, including Ocean Network Express (ONE), Hapag Lloyd, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), Maersk and CMA CGM.

According to an analysis by T21 Business Intelligence based on Semar data, Mexican ports collectively handled 7,290,474 TEUs between January and September 2026, 2.4% more than in the same period of 2025. Manzanillo remained the country's leading port, accounting for 43.3% of the national total, followed by Lázaro Cárdenas, with 2,008,597 TEUs and a 2.9% increase. By contrast, Veracruz handled 907,802 TEUs, a 5.6% decline, while Altamira recorded 651,914 TEUs, down 5% from the previous period.