APM Terminals has launched operations at its Lazaro Cardenas facility with the first official vessel call by the 9,600 TEU Maersk Salalah.

“Today is a milestone as we add an additional operational terminal to our portfolio,” said Morten H. Engelstoft, CEO of APM Terminals. “A priority for us is to transition terminals under implementation into operation, and make them as efficient as possible to support our customers. We have a significant portfolio across Latin America, and this will be our second terminal in Mexico after Yucatan. We are pleased to be a contributor in helping Mexico to reach its growth ambitions.”

Maersk Salalah was operating the AC2 trans-Pacific service from Asia, a region which APM hopes to connect with Mexico and Latin America using the new gateway.

“Mexico is a core part of our strategy of investing in growth markets and building state-of-the-art facilities to run more efficiently the supply chain from the heart of Mexico to Asia and the rest of the Americas,” says Jose Rueda, managing director of APM Terminals in Mexico. “The technology in this terminal will bring increased predictability and efficiency to our shipping line customers, whilst ensuring the highest levels of safety for our employees and supply chain partners.”

APM Terminals Lazaro Cardenas offers a 750-metre-long quay and a depth of 16.5m. It is also connected to five rail tracks.

“In addition to servicing ships, the new terminal in Lazaro Cardenas will enable us to further contribute to the nation’s growth story and long-term competitiveness by offering efficient, safe and reliable terminal services to producers and manufacturers,” Rueda said. “With the capacity to receive the world’s biggest ships and provide additional connectivity inland via our terminal at Cuautitlan Izcalli, in the industrial zone of Mexico City which is surrounded by over 200 onward distribution centers, we are in a unique position to facilitate trade for the country.”

The terminal is expected to eventually have a depth of 18m and a quay which is 1.5km long, as well as 15 ship-to-shore cranes and 10 rail tracks. By this final phase, scheduled for 2027-2030, the terminal will have a capacity of 4.1 million TEUs, according to APM.