Contecon Manzanillo (CMSA), the Mexican subsidiary of International Container Terminal Services (ICTSI), has secured approval to accommodate ships with draughts of up to 15.5 metres. According to Baird Maritime, this makes CMSA the sole terminal operator at the Port of Manzanillo capable of handling such vessels.
The approval allows CMSA to serve vessels up to 400 metres in length, including ultra-large container vessels that can carry up to 24,000 TEUs. José Antonio Contreras, CMSA CEO, stated that the company aims to achieve an operational draught of 17 metres at its new berths.
This increased draught capability will enable the terminal to accommodate even larger vessels and greater container volumes. The approval coincides with ongoing dredging and basin-conditioning works by the port authority, Administración del Sistema Portuario Nacional Manzanillo, to facilitate deeper-draught vessels.
Following the completion of phase 3A in 2025, CMSA's annual capacity increased to over 1.77 million TEUs, and has since reached approximately 1.8 million TEUs per annum. The terminal is also progressing with phase 3B of its expansion programme.
Phase 3B includes adding 227 metres of quay and acquiring two quay cranes and nine rubber-tired gantry cranes. Currently, the terminal operates 12 quay cranes, 43 rubber-tired gantry cranes, and other container and cargo-handling equipment. ICTSI anticipates that phase 3B will further boost CMSA's annual capacity to two million TEUs once operational.
The enhancements position CMSA to significantly increase its operational efficiency and handling capabilities for large container ships, supporting the growing demands of maritime trade through the Port of Manzanillo, as reported by Baird Maritime.
