Visit the Puerto Lázaro Cárdenas website.
The Port of Lázaro Cárdenas, strategically located on Mexico’s Pacific coast where the states of Michoacan and Guerrero meet, plays a critical role in the country’s industrial and commercial activities. This port serves a vast region, including key industrial areas like Queretaro, Mexico City, and Morelos. Together, they house 33 percent of the national population, generate 42 percent of Mexico’s GDP, and represent 49 percent of its manufacturing output. Its proximity to the tourist destination of Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, just 45 minutes away, further enhances its importance as both a commercial and tourism gateway.
Spanning an area of 3,834.03 hectares, with an additional 790 hectares set aside for future expansion, Lazaro Cardenas is the deepest port in Mexico. Its access channel is 19 meters deep, and its navigation channels exceed 17 meters, making it capable of handling the world’s largest vessels and positioning it as a crucial hub in global maritime logistics.
Evolution and strategic importance
Initially designed as an industrial port, Lázaro Cárdenas has become a key player in the global container market. Its modern infrastructure allows the efficient handling of containers, vehicles, and mineral bulk, solidifying its role as a primary link between Asia and the Americas.
Terminals and facilities
The port is well-connected via a direct highway and the Lázaro Cárdenas–Kansas City multimodal rail corridor, which includes 13 intermodal terminals and two service facilities, linking the port to major consumption centers. Key terminals and facilities include:
In addition to its terminal operations, the port offers ample storage facilities, including a health inspection checkpoint with space for 120 containers, and refrigeration and freezing chambers.
Cargo movement and ranking
In September 2024, Lázaro Cárdenas ranked 2nd nationally in terms of commercial cargo movement, handling 20,965,207 tons, excluding oil and its derivatives. This figure includes containerized cargo, minerals, vehicles, and bulk grain, among others. The port also ranked 2nd by achieving a remarkable 29% increase in containerized cargo, handling by September this year 1,764,679 TEUs. This surpasses the 1,358,177 TEUs recorded in the same period of 2023.
Connectivity
The region around Lazaro Cardenas is highly connected, with over 31,581 kilometers of roads and 36,576 kilometers of railways. The area is serviced by three international airports and seven local airports, with one just 15 minutes from the port and another international airport an hour away. The port also boasts maritime connections to over 90 countries and more than 200 ports worldwide.
Ongoing projects
In 2024, Lázaro Cárdenas completed several infrastructure projects, including the construction of a public dock in the southwest channel, aimed at enhancing domestic maritime connectivity. The port also added a dock for minor vessels and tugboats and completed a new cargo exit road.
Continued investment from major global players like Hutchison Ports Holdings, APM Terminals, SSA Marine, and Glovis Hyundai demonstrates the port’s commitment to growth and its evolving role in both regional and international maritime logistics.
Contact
Boulevard de las Islas No. 1, Isla del Cayacal
Cd. Lázaro Cárdenas, Michoacán, C.P. 60950, México
Telephone +52 (753) 533 0700
Key staff:
Director General — Rear Admiral Heliodoro Álvarez Hernández (dirgral@puertolazarocardenas.com.mx)
Commercial Manager — María Agustina Álvarez Hernández
