Altamira Port Deploys Hybrid RTG Cranes to Cut Emissions

Infraestructura Portuaria Mexicana (IPM) has completed the acquisition of four hybrid rubber-tired gantry (RTG) cranes for its terminal at the Port of Altamira. The investment is aimed at improving cargo handling efficiency while reducing the environmental footprint of port operations.

Port authorities said the new equipment will increase maneuvering speed in the container yard and enable more agile cargo dispatch for customers operating through the southern Tamaulipas port. Each crane has a stacking capacity of six containers high by six containers wide, allowing for denser and more efficient use of yard space.

According to the Port of Altamira, the integration of the four RTG units is expected to strengthen container-handling performance, particularly for foreign trade cargo. Technical teams at the terminal are currently preparing the equipment for commissioning.

The National Port System Administration (ASIPONA) said in a statement that the RTG cranes operate with hybrid systems designed to reduce fossil fuel consumption. The engine technology lowers pollutant emissions and helps reduce the port’s carbon footprint within the surrounding industrial zone.

IPM’s investment follows a similar upgrade by Altamira Terminal Portuaria (ATP), which in recent months incorporated additional yard cranes and ship-to-shore (STS) cranes of Chinese origin. Together, these investments reflect a broader effort by terminal operators to modernize infrastructure and improve service levels at one of Mexico’s key ports on the Gulf coast.

Asipona said the addition of hybrid equipment supports national goals to promote more sustainable logistics operations while maintaining competitiveness. With the new cranes, the Port of Altamira is expected to improve vessel turnaround times and strengthen its position relative to other Gulf of Mexico terminals.

The investment comes as the Port of Altamira prepares for the development of six new port terminals. In early January, port authorities began excavation and technical assessments in the northern section of the customs-controlled port zone to make future terminal sites available to private developers, according to reports by Milenio.

ASIPONA has included the project in its 2026 internal works portfolio, alongside two other priorities: customs modernization and increasing channel capacity through dredging.

Karen Guillén, commercial manager, Altamira, said the short-term priority is to condition new berthing points in a zone that has historically seen less development than the port’s southern area, where specialized docks already operate across business lines including containers, vehicles, general cargo and liquid bulk.

Work in the northern zone began in 2025 and is expected to be completed by 1Q26, leaving the area ready for the construction of six terminals.

Altamira currently has a draft of 13.5 meters, which the port considers sufficient to accommodate larger vessels, although some operators have requested up to 16 meters in the navigation channel. Customs modernization works are also progressing, with the port reporting 35% completion by the end of last year. The project is expected to accelerate in 2026 and 2027, supported by a budget of more than MX$1.5 billion (US$83.7 million).