Contecon Manzanillo evacuates 2,000 containers in 24 hours, setting a new record

Contecon Manzanillo took the land operation of the Specialized Container Terminal II (TEC II) to a new level by evacuating an average of two thousand import containers by road transport every 24 hours. This record, beyond the volume achieved, highlights the impact that the recent extension of customs hours can have on the fluidity of the logistics chain in Mexico's main container port.

The record was reached on August 20 and 21, when the terminal mobilized nearly four thousand containers by land in a two-day period. According to the company, this is a record figure for the port of Manzanillo and was possible after extending the windows for cargo withdrawal and strengthening coordination with the Manzanillo Customs.

One of the elements behind this performance was precisely the implementation of the "24/2" scheme, through which customs operations are maintained for 24 continuous hours from Thursday to Friday. This allows for the distribution of appointments for cargo withdrawal over a wider window and prevents road transporters from having to interrupt their operations while waiting for customs services to reopen.

This result is relevant for a port operation where it is not enough to increase the capacity to receive and handle containers within the terminals. The speed with which cargo can leave the port area and continue to its terrestrial destination also determines equipment rotation, yard utilization, and the system's ability to absorb larger volumes.

According to the Average Road Transport Times in Ports Indicator (ITPAP), prepared by T21 Business Intelligence, the port had closed June with an average of 5:34:16 hours for a road transport unit to enter, pick up import cargo, and leave the port, but a month later the indicator climbed to 12:50:27, a difference of 7:16:11.

In that sense, Customs increased from 2:43:36 to 6:11:30 hours; maneuvers went from 1:12:56 to 2:45:48; and waiting time advanced from 1:37:43 to 3:53:08.

"Achieving this record demonstrates that the investments and changes we have made at Contecon are yielding results. We have strengthened our operational capacity and, at the same time, we have worked in coordination with the Manzanillo Customs to streamline the departure of goods. This allows us to handle larger volumes of cargo and be more efficient as part of the logistics chain," said José Antonio Contreras, CEO of Contecon Manzanillo, quoted in a press release.

The extension of hours is combined with changes in modulation and service processes. According to data released by the terminal, since week 31, compliance with its appointments has remained above 95%, an indicator that points to greater continuity between the dispatch of containers and the arrival of vehicles responsible for their withdrawal.

This performance also occurs in parallel with the capacity expansions that Contecon has developed since 2023 in TEC II. The combination of infrastructure, operational capacity, and greater availability of customs services allowed for accelerating the departure of goods and improving the rotation of road transport units during the days the record was set.

Contreras considered that maintaining a more flexible operation can have effects that transcend the terminal itself. "A flexible and continuous customs operation, in coordination with the terminal, has a direct and positive impact on the logistics chain. We will continue to seek improvements and solutions that translate into better times for transporters and a more efficient operation," he added.

The challenge now will be to sustain these evacuation levels as volumes increase. Contecon estimates reaching approximately nine thousand 800 containers weekly mobilized by road transport, a figure that would represent a 20% increase compared to the weekly average recorded during 2025.

Thus, the record registered in August is not only associated with the number of containers dispatched in 24 hours, but also with the ability to articulate infrastructure, terminal, customs, and land transport. In a port where cargo growth demands that the different links advance at a similar pace, the continuity of outbound processes becomes a variable to prevent greater maritime capacity from shifting pressure to yards, access points, and land transport.

For the first seven months of this year, Contecon Manzanillo has operated one million 022 thousand 181 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU), a 20.1% increase compared to the same period last year, according to data from the National Port System Administration (Asipoona) Manzanillo.