Port of Manzanillo Collapses Due to Ship Congestion

The Port of Manzanillo is currently facing a severe crisis due to a critical backlog of ships, with over 15 vessels anchored in its waters. According to the Mexican Council of Foreign Trade (Comce Occidente), this situation has led shipping companies to incur significant costs, ranging from $30,000 to $50,000 per day for each detained ship, resulting in daily losses amounting to approximately $600,000.

Operational Challenges and Economic Impact

Previously, Manzanillo handled about 120,000 tons of general cargo per month; however, this volume has plummeted to a mere 30,000 tons, reflecting a serious deterioration in operational efficiency. This decline is largely attributed to mismanagement by the National Port System Administration (Asipona), exacerbated by recent changes to operational rules that have complicated loading and unloading processes.

Government Response and Future Actions

In response to the backlog, there have been calls for audits by the Secretariat of the Navy to review the actions of responsible officials and mitigate the economic impacts on consumers and businesses. Recently, Asipona has started to relax these new rules to address the congestion; however, significant work remains to restore the port’s full functionality and regain the trust of shipping companies.

Summary of the Congestion’s Impact

Event	Details
Date and Time	October 15, 2024
Location	Port of Manzanillo
Cause	Ship congestion due to mismanagement
Response	Calls for audits and relaxation of operational rules
Current Status	Backlog remains, further recovery efforts needed