Posted on September 8, 2025
Borderlands Mexico is a weekly rundown of developments in the world of United States-Mexico cross-border trucking and trade. This week: Authorities launch $22B port overhaul to boost nearshoring; IFCO opens Dallas location to strengthen food logistics chains; and AH MANF opens $10M plant in Saltillo.
Authorities launch $22B port overhaul to boost nearshoring
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum is betting big on seaports as the backbone of the country’s future in global trade.
In her first state of the nation address on Sept. 1, Sheinbaum announced nearly $22 billion in public and private investment to expand and modernize Mexico’s ports over the next six years.
“We set out to make Mexico a port powerhouse,” Sheinbaum said, noting that this year alone includes $1.3 billion in upgrades.
The plan covers major Pacific and Gulf ports including Manzanillo, Lázaro Cárdenas, Veracruz, Salina Cruz, Coatzacoalcos, and Progreso, with the goal of boosting maritime competitiveness and capitalizing on nearshoring.
One of the biggest initiatives is the $7.5 billion Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec — a rail-and-port network linking the Pacific and Atlantic that Mexico hopes will offer a faster, cheaper alternative to the Panama Canal.
The corridor will include modernized ports, double-stack rail lines, and new industrial complexes along the route.
Key port projects include:
- Manzanillo: Expansion to become Latin America’s largest port, with capacity tripling to 10 million twenty-foot equivalent units by 2030.
- Lázaro Cárdenas: Developed as a multimodal hub with expanded customs and container infrastructure.
- Ensenada: Dock expansion and dredging to handle larger vessels.
- Veracruz: New breakwater and terminal space to attract private investment.
- Progreso: Expanded terminals and new rail connections tied to the Maya Train.
Sheinbaum said the strategy will “anchor Mexico in global supply chains” and position the country as a manufacturing and logistics leader.
IFCO opens Dallas location to strengthen food logistics chains
IFCO, a provider of reusable packaging for fresh food, has opened a 240,000-square-foot service center in Mesquite, Texas, to expand its U.S. network and boost sustainable logistics.
Located near major transportation corridors, the Dallas facility will process more than 40 million reusable crates each year, aiming to help grocery retailers and growers deliver fresh food efficiently.
The facility will employ more than 100 workers. Mesquite is about 15 miles from Dallas.
Germany-based IFCO has about 1,900 employees in 210 global locations.
AH MANF opens $10M plant in Saltillo
AH MANF opened a $10 million plant in Saltillo, Mexico, creating 250 jobs and boosting the state of Coahuila’s metalworking sector.
The Mexican-owned company, founded in 2024, specializes in cutting, plasma and laser cutting, and bending metal components for domestic and international markets.
