Transforming Long-Term Mexico–US Trade Through Port NOLA

Q: What is Mexico’s role within Port NOLA’s trade portfolio? 

A: Mexico plays a structurally strategic role within Port NOLA’s trade portfolio, not a cyclical one. The port is one of the most diversified ports in the United States, handling cargo across virtually all industries, but it has a particular strength in chemical and petrochemical exports, reflecting Louisiana’s industrial base. This aligns directly with Mexico’s manufacturing and industrial supply chains. Port NOLA differentiates itself through deep, long-standing trade relationships with Latin America. The port handles nine weekly container services, the majority of which include calls in Mexico, specifically Veracruz and Altamira. These services generate consistent, two-way cargo flows, with Mexico representing a stable source of both imports and exports rather than volume driven by short-term market cycles.

Geographical location is a key advantage in diverse port offerings. Located on the Mississippi River, Port NOLA provides Mexico-based shippers with direct access to major US consumption and distribution hubs such as Memphis and Chicago. Multimodal connectivity and quick transit times reinforce this competitiveness: ocean cargo departing Veracruz reaches New Orleans within five to seven days, and from there it can move intermodally to Memphis within hours or to Chicago in roughly one day.

On-dock rail connectivity at the port further strengthens its strategic position. Port NOLA is served by all US Class I railroads, enabling seamless and secure access to every major US corridor. BNSF and Union Pacific provide westbound reach, while Norfolk Southern and CSX connect the eastern US Canadian National (CN) and Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) extend connectivity into Texas, the Midwest, and Canada, with direct rail interchanges of cargo from Mexico.

Q: How is Port NOLA ensuring it can scale Mexico-linked growth without creating congestion or operational bottlenecks as nearshoring accelerates?

A: Port NOLA operates as a fully diversified, multi-cargo gateway. In addition to containerized cargo, the port handles bulk, breakbulk, and project cargo, allowing it to serve a wide range of industries, customers, and supply-chain models. In bulk and breakbulk, the port moves significant volumes of steel, natural rubber for tire manufacturing, and commodities transported in supersacks, including sugar imported from Mexico. Port NOLA also receives silicomanganese and manganese ore in bulk from Mexico, which directly supply the US steel production industry. These flows highlight Mexico’s role not only in consumer goods but also in strategic industrial inputs.

Mexico’s importance is closely linked to nearshoring dynamics. As one of the United States’ principal trading partners, and a Gulf-based neighbor, Mexico benefits from short sea routes, predictable transit times, and strong multimodal connectivity through New Orleans. Port NOLA handles about 500,000 TEUs annually, with a substantial import share linked to Mexico. The country is Port NOLA’s fourth-largest import trade partner, driven by steady growth in key import categories. Principal imports from Mexico include chemical products, coffee, and alcoholic beverages, most notably tequila. Despite global trade uncertainty, imports from Mexico through Port NOLA have grown at an average rate of around 20% annually, supported by the USMCA, which preserves tariff-free or low-tariff access for many products. Coffee, for example, enters at 0% duty.

On the export side, Port NOLA serves global markets across Latin America, the European Union, and Asia. Major export commodities include plastics (particularly PVC), chemical products (hazardous and non-hazardous), kraft paper, frozen poultry, rice, cotton, and machinery. The port also supports value-added logistics: poultry produced in the US South is blast frozen at on-port facilities operated by tenants, containerized, and shipped worldwide.

Q: How do you integrate data from carriers, rail operators, barge operators, trucking providers, and tenants into a unified view of port performance? 

A: Port NOLA operates under a landlord port model, managing about 1,000ha of port property across over 65 lease agreements with terminal operators, logistics providers, and industrial tenants. Under this structure, the port does not directly handle cargo operations; instead, specialized operators manage day-to-day execution while the port focuses on infrastructure, coordination, and performance intelligence. In addition, Port NOLA’s foreign trade zone includes more than 30 dedicated sites that enhance competitiveness and enables storage to maximize trade benefits.

For containerized cargo, Port NOLA works primarily with Ports America and New Orleans Terminal (NOT), the latter part of Terminal Investment Limited (TiL), MSC’s terminal investment arm. These operators deploy their own terminal operating systems and technologies for the port to track vessel calls, container moves, dwell times, and throughput. Similar data flows are generated by bulk, breakbulk, barge, rail, and trucking operators across the port’s footprint.

The port’s role is to aggregate, standardize, and analyze data provided by its tenants and partners. From a business intelligence standpoint, this allows Port NOLA to monitor cargo trends across modes, identifying which commodities are growing, which are stagnating, and where capacity, routing, or modal shifts could improve efficiency for shippers. This analytical layer supports both commercial strategy and operational decision-making, enabling the port to proactively offer alternatives rather than react to disruptions. This data-driven flexibility proved critical during the global supply chain disruptions caused by the pandemic, when container shortages and congestion at major ports in Asia, the European Union, and the US West Coast constrained global trade. In response, Port NOLA leveraged its multi-cargo capabilities and tenant partnerships to shift cargo from containers into breakbulk and bulk formats where feasible. A notable example was the arrival of the first breakbulk coffee vessel in over 30 years, with coffee imported in bags rather than containers, an operational model that had largely disappeared but was rapidly reactivated to maintain supply continuity in the United States.

Q: How has trade flow with Mexico through Port NOLA evolved in response to disruptions such as supply chain shocks or geopolitical uncertainty? 

A: Trade flows with Mexico through Port NOLA have proven resilience despite tariffs, policy shifts, and broader geopolitical and supply-chain disruptions. A key stabilizing factor has been the USMCA, which has insulated Mexico–US trade from many of the tariff shocks that affected other global corridors. As a result, while some regions experienced stagnation or volatility in both imports and exports, Mexico-linked volumes through Port NOLA, particularly imports, continued to expand.

From a data standpoint, this resilience is clearly visible in year-over-year performance. Comparing January–October year-to-date volumes, Mexico-origin cargo moving through Port NOLA is about 17% higher than in the same period the previous year. This growth stands out against flatter or declining trends in other trade lanes, indicating that the increase is not cyclical noise but tied to sustained demand and competitive positioning.

To distinguish policy-driven effects from underlying demand trends, many traders are tracking these shifts at the commodity and origin level rather than relying solely on aggregate volume. Coffee is a clear example. New or increased tariffs affecting traditional coffee-producing regions altered global sourcing decisions, prompting traders and roasters to diversify origins. In this context, Mexican coffee gained share, supported by tariff-free access under the USMCA, consistent quality, and reliable Gulf Coast logistics.

Q: How is the USMCA renegotiation expected to reshape trade flows between Mexico and the United States through points like Port NOLA? 

A: The key point is diversification and a renewed focus on the structural relationship between Canada, the United States, and Mexico under the USMCA. As neighboring countries, proximity offers a decisive advantage by reducing risks and increasing flexibility. When road congestion arises, cargo can shift to rail or maritime transport, ensuring continuity in supply chains. In this context, maritime routes, such as shipments from Mexico to the United States through Port NOLA, provide added security, as cargo remains offshore, significantly reducing exposure to theft or accidents during transit. This highlights the importance of reassessing and leveraging multiple transportation options.

Mexico’s broad and sophisticated production base plays a crucial role in the US market, supplying high-quality, first-tier commodities and manufactured goods. Strengthening trade with a neighboring country is not only more efficient but also more strategic than sourcing products from distant regions of the world. 

Q: What are the main challenges and opportunities that Port NOLA offers Mexico and the United States? 

A: Within Port NOLA’s Mexico–US trade flows, the main challenge is ensuring that service networks evolve in step with Mexico’s shifting production geography, particularly as growth expands beyond traditional hubs such as Veracruz and Altamira. From an operational standpoint, relying too heavily on a limited set of gateways can constrain capacity and reduce flexibility during periods of disruption.

At the same time, this creates a clear opportunity. One of Port NOLA’s most important developments this year was the launch of a new weekly container service in March linking New Orleans, Puerto Progreso, and Cartagena. This service strengthens connectivity with the Yucatan Peninsula, a fast-growing region for manufacturing, agribusiness, and regional distribution, while integrating Mexico more deeply into global trade rotations that also connect Asia, South America, the Mediterranean, and Northern Europe. In total, Port NOLA supports nine weekly container services, positioning Mexico within a broader, resilient network.

Q: What strategies has Port NOLA put in place to stay ahead in a shifting global landscape? 

A: The port views the future of trade through a long-term, investment-driven lens, shaped by evolving global supply chains, technological advancement, and shifting Mexico–US trade dynamics. Central to this strategy is the development of a new, state-of-the-art container terminal in Violet, Louisiana, located closer to the Gulf of Mexico. This project will relocate container operations from downtown New Orleans and is designed to double container-handling capacity, while significantly improving efficiency through advanced logistics technologies.

This new terminal positions Port NOLA to capitalize on growing global trade including Latin America, particularly Mexico, Central America, and the east coast of South America, leveraging its direct maritime connectivity and seamless inland links to major US commercial hubs such as Memphis, Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis, and onward to Canada. The project has strong backing from state and federal authorities, as well as private-sector partners, and is awaiting final approval from the US Army Corps of Engineers. Initial berth operations are expected to begin in 2029.

Beyond infrastructure, Port NOLA’s strategy emphasizes collaboration and relationship-building, with partner ports, existing and new customers, and investors, to remain competitive in a shifting global landscape. The port’s diversified cargo profile, spanning agricultural, industrial, construction, and bulk products, allows it to adapt to changing trade patterns and policy environments. This diversification, combined with scalable infrastructure and strong Mexico–US connectivity, positions Port NOLA as a flexible, future-ready gateway for North American and hemispheric trade.

Q: What key achievements does Port NOLA aim to deliver in 2026, and how will business intelligence be used to measure progress, guide strategy, and support those goals? 

A: Port NOLA’s strategy toward 2026 is structured around two parallel priorities. First, the port is laying the groundwork for long-term growth by initiating early negotiations with potential customers and investors in preparation for the next major operational phase expected to begin in 2029. This forward-looking engagement allows Port NOLA to shape future trade flows well in advance.

The second priority is to sustain and strengthen momentum in Mexico–US trade. Despite ongoing uncertainty in global markets, Port NOLA expects container volume growth in 2025 and aims to carry those positive trends into 2026 through steady expansion and diversification of cargo flows. A key differentiator for Port NOLA is its close, continuous engagement with customers. Unlike larger ports, its scale allows for direct communication, rapid feedback, and constant performance improvement, ensuring efficiency gains are identified, reinforced, and measured through ongoing business intelligence and operational data.

Beyond cargo, Port NOLA also sees growth opportunities in the cruise segment. As the sixth-largest cruise port in the United States, the port aims to increase passenger volumes and attract more travelers from Mexico, positioning New Orleans not only as a logistics hub but also as a gateway for tourism and maritime connectivity.

Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA) is a deepwater multimodal port located on the Mississippi River via the Gulf of Mexico with access to 30-plus major inland hubs such as Dallas, Memphis, Chicago, and Canada. The Port NOLA Gateway offers integrated and seamless logistics solutions between river, rail, and road.