The abrupt demand for containers that occurred worldwide last year triggered its operation in Mexico to historic levels. As a result of the reactivation of economic activities, mainly trade from Asia, Mexico registered the movement of 7.8 million containers, the largest on record.
This level represents a growth of 22% compared to the containers operated in 2020, and an increase of 11% compared to 2019, the pre-pandemic year, according to data from the Secretary of the Navy (Semar).
Specialists consulted explained that this increase was derived from greater import activity (which grew 27.7% in value, and 14% by weight by sea), which even led to Mexico breaking two years of surplus in the trade balance, according to data. of the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi).
“The increase in containers is due to the increase in our imports, and imports in transit due to the saturation of ports such as Los Angeles,” explains Fernando Ruiz, general director of the Mexican Business Council for Foreign Trade, Investment and Technology (Comce). .
This was reflected in the Port of Manzanillo, the largest container operator in the country, which grew 17.4%, with a limited increase in the case of full containers of 23%. Even the operation of empty containers – used to replenish commercial activity – fell 20.8%, in line with the shortage registered worldwide.
In most ports that operate containers, there was growth compared to 2020, with relevant cases such as Lázaro Cárdenas, which increased 58.5%, and Tuxpan, with a rise of 32.3%.
This has been reflected in costs, which have even tripled, although there is a forecast that they will stabilize this year.
“The rates have grown from 4,000 to 12,000 dollars in the last two years,” said Ruiz, illustrating the case of a 40-foot container from China. “In my opinion, they will soon start to decline little by little.”
Around the world, trade costs have skyrocketed due to factors such as the shortage of containers, transport, and, in general, pressure on supply chains that companies have been able to do little about.
For the consulting firm KPMG, technology has been and will be a way to make these processes more efficient. However, it has a limit as long as factors unrelated to importers, exporters and logistics operators continue.
“Organizations are taking advantage of software and cost analysis tools to increase visibility into where, how and how much they spend,” he explains in a report. “The consolidation of costs and their visibility allows to improve the capacity of indebtedness and the power of negotiation to help generate value or drive improvements in supply chains”.
