Contecon Manzanillo Opens the Port to Ultra Large Container Ships

Chennai:

Port Wings News Network:

Contecon Manzanillo S.A. de C.V. (CMSA), International Container Terminal Services, Inc.’s (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 the only terminal operator at the Port of Manzanillo with this capability.

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).

José Antonio Contreras, CMSA CEO, said: “This authorization reflects the investments we have made to strengthen the terminal. 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.

Contreras stated: “As vessel sizes continue to increase, terminals must ensure they have the infrastructure needed to support them. 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.

Moreover, 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. Once operational, Phase 3B is expected to further increase annual capacity to 2 million TEUs.

Shipping lines have increasingly deployed larger ships on major trade lanes to move more cargo per voyage. Many of these vessels incorporate technologies that improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions.

In June 2010, ICTSI signed a 34-year concession for the development and operation of the Second Specialized Container Terminal (TEC-II) at the Port of Manzanillo in Mexico. ICTSI established a subsidiary, Contecon Manzanillo SA de CV to operate the Port of Manzanillo. Ideally located to serve the growing Asian trade, CMSA is Mexico’s gateway to the Pacific coast and is close to major consumer markets, such as Mexico City and the country’s largest industrial areas.