Ford’s first shipment from Guaymas Port marks a new logistics strategy to reduce costs significantly.
Ford Motor Company commenced its first shipment from the previously underutilised Guaymas Port near its Sonora plant in northern Mexico on Tuesday. This initiative aims to cut the U.S. automaker’s logistics costs by up to 30 percent, according to Sonora’s Governor Alfonso Durazo.
The inaugural shipment, consisting of Broncos and pickups bound for Chile, is part of a broader revamp of Guaymas Port. This infrastructure project is spearheaded by Mexico’s incoming President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.
Governor Durazo highlighted that Ford had been transporting vehicles over land for nearly 2,000 kilometers from Hermosillo to the port of Lazaro Cardenas in Michoacan, calling it a “logistical disaster.” He emphasised the efficiency gained by utilising Guaymas Port instead.
At a Tuesday event, Ford executives and state officials celebrated this milestone. Ricardo Anaya, Ford Mexico’s director of manufacturing, noted, “This is the very first time after investments in modernization and expansion that we are able to use the port.”
Ongoing construction at Guaymas includes a new parking platform, enhancing the port’s capacity for larger shipments. Durazo mentioned that this development could also facilitate car imports into Sonora and the American markets.
Additionally, efforts to deepen Guaymas’ port waters are underway, enabling it to handle heavier ships and larger cargo loads. Governor Durazo expressed hope that before Lopez Obrador’s term ends in October, Guaymas will begin dispatching or receiving container vessels to and from the Asian market.
The governor also pointed out that the “nearshoring trend” is gaining momentum in Mexico, with more companies relocating operations from Asia to North America.
