•  
• Home
•  
• Scuba Diving
  • Diving in Manzanillo
  • SCUBA Diving Classes
  • Manzanillo Dive Sites
  • Local Aquatic Life
•  
• Manzanillo
  • Manzanillo, Colima
  • Getting to Manzanillo
•  
• Articles
•  
• About
•  
• Links

The Port of Manzanillo - Part 3

by Terry Sovil

As you have seen, running a port is a complex job. Pursuing a degree in Port Management would find you taking courses in: Maritime Transport and Trade, Maritime Economics and Business, Shipping Law, Transport Operations, Research Methods and Maritime Logistics. Shipping logistics is the new key to success!

Many do not realize that the current Port was dredged and an opening to the sea was dug close to the La Posada hotel in Las Brisas. Bart Varelman writes about this in his book, The Innkeeper. What is now the Cruise Ship dock was the only dock in early years. Now we are near completion of a dedicated cruise ship terminal. The Port currently covers a total area of 437 hectares (1,079.8 acres) with 13 port terminals handling a variety of cargo.

Concession holders for terminal and berth space include SSA Mexico (USA) with two quays, 25 hectare storage yard, 9 gantry cranes, 26 rubber tire gantries and 324 reefer plugs. TIMSA, Terminal Internacional de Manzanillo, S.A. de C.V. is a multipurpose terminal and handles containers, agricultural products, cement and sheet steel. OCUPA, Operadora de la Cuenca del Pacifico S.A. de C.V. is a 100% Mexican private company and embraces customs, shipping agents, importers and towage companies.

Port Operators need constant awareness of changes in the local environment and the industry. Container size increases and container ships grow for larger capacity. Ports must grow to handle larger ships. New gantry cranes to lift cargo? Expand the number of berths? Is your computerized yard management system able to scale? New equipment and systems means training personnel.

A high priority for Felipe Calderón is making Mexico a world-class logistics platform leveraging its geographic location. Currently, Manzanillo handles 46% of all containerized cargo arriving in Mexico and 68% of all cargo from the Pacific. Francisco Llamas González of API, Port Administration of Manzanillo, described how they have worked to forge international alliances with: The Port of Shanghai, The People's Republic of China and the cities of Dallas and Houston, TX for NAFTA corridor points of entry into the USA.

The high visibility construction is a new Port Terminal for containers. The Port is surrounded by the community making expansion difficult. The Specialized Container Terminal II, or "Northern Region project", should begin operation in 2012. This terminal will double the port's operating capacity! This expansion is anticipated to make Manzanillo Mexico's #1 Port and improve international ranking. It will allow the Port to handle vessels up to 8,000 TEUs where currently it can handle ships of only 5,800 TEUs. It should create 1,500 jobs directly tied to the Port and 4,500 indirectly.

Manzanillo and the Port have a 90 year history or cooperation with no social discord. The expansion was approved and the Port makes every effort to remain a good neighbor. Mangrove trees that protect habitat and shoreline are being grown in a special greenhouse to replace many that were removed. The bridge work by the Auditorium on Madrid Blvd will result in new, improved driving surfaces and create a link from the stagnant lagoon to the ocean to improve the lagoon.

The Port of Manzanillo has been recognized for contributions to foreign trade, environmental concerns and transparency in its actions. The Chilean Association of Exporters gave recognition for services rendered to Mexico's horticultural sector. API was commended by the Federal Institute of Public Information Access. API was given a commendation by the Ocean Conservancy for work in the 2004 Campaign for Clean Coasts.

With other amenities available in Manzanillo it pairs well with the Port. The airport is only 45 minutes from the city center and it handles 3,700 flights per year (43,000 international passengers, 64,000 domestic passengers and 22,000 charter passengers). Manzanillo has first rate hotels (88 hotels, 4,424 beds). We have a pleasant climate and tax incentives from the State of Colima for new businesses.

The federal government helps assure the Port of Manzanillo will keep pace with international demands in the years ahead. Many experts regard our Port as the "principal port" by virtue of location for imports from Asia and proximity to the key industrial markets of Mexico.