SPARX Logistics Opens Asia-US Service through Lazaro Cardenas

SPARX Logistics introduced a new chartered ship service to meet the cargo demand in the transpacific corridor, from China to Lazaro Cardenas. This service targets customers in the central area of ​​the US, offering an intermodal service with the railway concessionaire Kansas City Southern Mexico (KCSM).

Headquartered in Hong Kong, the company was launched to support customers in Asia and North America and has grown to the EU, the South East Asian region and the Americas, said to MBN Boris Franchomme, Managing Director, SPARX Logistics Mexico. “Mexico came on board in 2021 and we just recently started ground operations with the US. Because of our strong presence in Asia and particularly in China, we can offer our customers a wide variety of shipping options.”

SPARX Logistics was recognized by the National Port System Administration (ASIPONA) Lazaro Cardenas following the first international transit operation from Asia to the US through this port. The service is offered jointly with shipping company X-Press Feeders, port terminal Hutchison Ports LCT, customs agent Grupo 365, railway company KCSM, consignee Maritimex and ASIPONA, and contributes to a more agile and dynamic transit. On the route from China to Lazaro Cardenas, the service is 40 days faster than other alternatives.

Once ships arrive, the operation begins with unloading at the Hutchison Ports LCT terminal. Later, the modulation is carried out with customs to move the containers from the yard to the KCSM railway ramp and two trains are assigned to load the containers; the first bound for Chicago, Illinois, and the second bound for Kendleton, Texas.

From the first 619 containers, 400 have already been modulated by customs for rail freight and were released the same day the ship arrived. This proves the agility offered by Lazaro Cardenas port and the SPARX Logistics team, said ASIPONA.

The service could help to alleviate the ongoing challenges global supply chains are facing. Currently, cargo from China to Eastern US passing through ports in Los Angeles and Long Beach takes about 80 days due to the levels of congestion at those ports, according to ASIPONA.

There is still significant congestion in ports, said Franchomme. “We also see many delays in terms of containers repositioning, especially going back to China and with trucking power at destination ports, for example on the West Coast. All of this results in shortage of containers where they are needed most, at origin ports in China.”