Contecon Manzanillo, International Container Terminal Services' (ICTSI) Mexican unit, has paved the way for the Port of Manzanillo to accommodate ultra large container vessels after receiving the go-ahead to handle ships with drafts of up to 15.5 meters.
CMSA is now able to serve vessels up to 400 meters long, including ultra large container vessels capable of carrying up to 24,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs).
“This authorization reflects the investments we have made to strengthen the terminal,” said José Antonio Contreras, CMSA CEO. “It also marks an important step toward our goal of achieving a 17-meter operational draft at our new berths, which will allow us to accommodate larger vessels and handle higher cargo volumes.”
The approval comes as port authority Administración del Sistema Portuario Nacional Manzanillo (National Port System Administration Manzanillo) continues dredging and basin-conditioning works to accommodate deeper-draft vessels.
“As vessel sizes continue to increase, terminals must ensure they have the infrastructure needed to support them,” Contreras added. “This approval expands our ability to serve larger ships and supports the next stage of the terminal's development.”
Following the completion of Phase 3A in 2025, CMSA increased its annual capacity to more than 1.77 million TEUs. Since then, capacity has increased to approximately 1.8 million TEUs per annum.
Also, CMSA is advancing Phase 3B of its expansion program, which includes an additional 227 meters of quay and the acquisition of two quay cranes (QC) and nine rubber-tired gantries (RTG). Currently, the terminal operates 12 quay cranes (QCs), 43 rubber-tired gantries (RTGs) and other container and cargo-handling equipment.