Enhancing Tamaulipas Ports, Customs to Grow Trade

The Government of Tamaulipas is making significant efforts to solidify the state’s position as a pivotal logistics hub in Mexico. These strategic efforts center on enhancing port facilities and building the new National Customs Agency (ANAM) headquarters in Nuevo Laredo to bolster the capacity and competitiveness of Tamaulipas’ logistics sector.

The Minister of Economy of Tamaulipas, Ninfa Cantú Deandar, met with Ana Laura Lopez Bautista, General Coordinator, Ports and Merchant Marine (CGPMM) for the Federal government. Their objective is to strengthen inter-institutional coordination and the modernization of the ports of Tampico and Altamira to create better conditions for balanced and sustainable economic development.

According to ASIPONA Altamira, the Port of Altamira is the fourth largest in the country and responsible for producing 30% of the country’s petrochemicals. Furthermore, it hosts over 40 national and foreign companies and contributes significantly to the GDP of the region, in addition to contributing 11% to the overall GDP of Tamaulipas.

Altamira and Tampico are two key ports on Mexico’s eastern coast, serving as pivotal entry and exit points for diverse products such as petrochemicals, steel, minerals, agricultural bulk and oversized structures, among other industrial goods.

Meanwhile, regarding customs, Cantú met Andre Georges Foullon Van Lissum, General Director, ANAM, to discuss the advances made in the construction of the new ANAM headquarters in Nuevo Laredo. The construction represents an investment of MX$2.5 billion (US$146.1 million) and is expected to reaffirm Nuevo Laredo’s position as the Top customs office in the continent.

These initiatives underscore the commitment of the administration of Governor Américo Villareal to facilitate trade seamlessly across the US-Mexico border while prioritizing the expansion of the World Trade Bridge and bolstering investment and economic growth. According to a TxDOT report, the World Trade Bridge at the Laredo Port of Entry is the largest and only dedicated commercial crossing on the Texas-Mexico border. In 2022, the trade flow between Mexico and the US through Tamaulipas accounted for 42.0% of the national total by road, reaching US$266.9 million. This represented a growth of 17.0% compared to 2021 through the customs of Nuevo Laredo and Reynosa.