Mexico Seaports See Cargo Decline Amid Weaker Oil Flows

Mexico’s seaports handled 229.2 million tonnes of cargo through November 2025, an 8.7% year-on-year decline from the same period in 2024, as weaker global demand and reduced petroleum flows weighed on overall port activity.

According to the National Port System Statistical Report issued by the Mexican Navy (SEMAR), total cargo volumes fell from 250.9 million tonnes in 2024 to 229.2 million tonnes in 2025, signaling a cooling phase after the post-pandemic rebound that boosted throughput in 2023 and 2024.

Decline Driven by Lower International Cargo

The report shows that international (altura) cargo traffic contracted sharply, dropping from 204.3 million tonnes in 2024 to 181.5 million tonnes in 2025, a decline of more than 10%. In contrast, domestic (cabotaje) cargo remained relatively resilient, edging up 1% from 46.6 million to 47.7 million tonnes, underscoring the stability of internal logistics despite external trade headwinds.

By segment, the steepest decline occurred in petroleum and derivatives, which fell from 94.4 million tonnes to 82.4 million tonnes, a decrease of 12.7%. Mineral bulk and containerized cargo also recorded moderate contractions, while agricultural bulk remained comparatively stable, reflecting continued strength in Mexico’s agro-export base.

Veracruz and Manzanillo Remain National Anchors

Despite the overall downturn, Manzanillo and Veracruz continued to anchor Mexico’s maritime trade.

• Pacific coast: Total volumes declined from 112.2 million to 103.3 million tonnes. Manzanillo accounted for 27.6% of Pacific traffic, followed by Lázaro Cárdenas with 26.1%, together handling more than half of the region’s cargo.

• Gulf coast: Throughput fell from 138.7 million to 125.9 million tonnes. Veracruz retained the largest share at 22%, followed by Coatzacoalcos (16.7%), Dos Bocas (13.6%) and Altamira (13.6%).
   

Overall, the ASIPONAS group of port authorities handled 83.5% of total cargo in 2025, maintaining their dominance across the national port system.

Mexico’s container throughput reached 8.58 million TEUs through November 2025, down slightly from 8.73 million TEUs a year earlier, a decline of 1.7%. The country’s four largest container ports—Manzanillo, Lázaro Cárdenas, Veracruz and Altamira—retained their rankings and together accounted for more than 90% of national container traffic.

The automotive segment, a key export pillar, also weakened, with vehicle volumes falling 4.7%, from 2.13 million units in 2024 to 2.03 million in 2025.

In contrast, cruise activity emerged as one of the year’s bright spots. Total cruise passengers rose to 9.8 million, up from 8.8 million in 2024, an increase of 11%. Growth was driven by higher arrivals at Cozumel, Mahahual and Ensenada, which together captured the majority of cruise traffic. The number of cruise calls also increased, from 2,500 to 2,760, highlighting Mexico’s growing appeal as a Caribbean and Pacific cruise destination.