Mexico looks to the future

THREE major problems dominate current thinking on the Mexican maritime industry: (1) the lack of waterfront space to accommodate an expansion of facilities, (2) a lack of competition, and (3) high costs.

Mexico occupies a strategic geographical position. A high proportion of its seaborne trade moves through the Panama Canal, and the Mexican authorities are currently looking at the costs inherent in this method of shipment, including the rising price of fuel, the long distances that are involved for shipments from Europe and North America, and the associated time, man-hour and administration costs.

Mexico is contemplating the feasibility of a high-standard rail connection between the port of Coatzacoalcos in the Gulf of Mexico and the port of Salina Cruz on the Pacific Ocean coast, for the carriage of containerised cargo. This, it is hoped, would serve to lower transportation costs and increase the effectiveness of door-to-door shipments.

For Mexico, the vision is not one of creating mega-ports, but rather one of creating efficient, modern ports with low operational costs

This would involve using the latest technology to transform Coatzacoalcos and Salina Cruz into so-called speed-ports. This could involve extensive dredging to enable the ports to accommodate the bigger containerships now appearing in the industry, as well as the transformation of loading and unloading operations, including the installation of stacking cranes at strategic locations along the length of the rail connection, thus avoiding the need to use independent vehicles. Extensive storage facilities would also have to be built in order to accommodate containers as necessary throughout the transfer of boxes from ship to rail and back to ship again.

Technology will play an important part in such a project. In this internet age, information is the basis on which so much business is built. The project would operate on the basis of digitised data transfer, covering the period from the estimated time of arrival of the inbound vessel, through the various procedures until the point at which the outbound vessel is loaded and ready to sail. There would have to be a continual sharing of information with and between shipowners and shippers and the ports and railroad authorities.

The intention would be to create a system that moved containers at maximum speed with maximum efficiency from one coast to the other, providing employment for both large and small containerships. The potential for the flexible movement of cargo to and from major shipping areas is not lost on transport planners in the region, who recognise the true value of strategic transhipment ports. For Mexico, the vision is not one of creating mega-ports, but rather one of creating efficient, modern ports with low operational costs.

The Mexican federal government and local government authorities agree on the need to develop the southern part of the country, and are ready to invest in infrastructural development. No serious environmental or land conflicts are anticipated.

The Mexican authorities realise that this is not merely a national project, but an undertaking which involves the economic, political and national security interests of an entire region that embraces both Canada and the United States.

Once the feasibility and planning stages are completed, Mexico will need to move quickly to take the initiative in implementing the project, which represents a real opportunity to improve the country’s business efficiency and flexibility.