Contecon Manzanillo has lifted its annual handling capacity to 2 million TEU following the delivery of two ZPMC-built ship-to-shore (STS) cranes, bringing the Mexican Pacific terminal's quay-crane fleet to 14.

The new gantries, supplied by China's Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries (ZPMC), stand roughly 60 metres high, weigh about 1,600 tonnes and extend 74 metres over the quay edge. They rank among the largest STS cranes in the Americas, according to CMSA.

Contecon Manzanillo S.A. de C.V. (CMSA) is the Mexican unit of Philippines-listed International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI).

The cranes are rated for vessels of up to 24,000 TEU, including ultra-large container ships (ULCVs) of 400 metres length and 61-metre beam.

What does the new crane fleet mean for shippers and carriers?

The upgrade removes a structural constraint at Manzanillo. In August, port authority ASIPONA Manzanillo authorised CMSA to handle 400-metre ships at 15.5-metre draft — a capability no other operator at the port currently holds. ASIPONA continues dredging and basin-conditioning works to push operational draft to 17 metres at the new berths.

How are yard operations changing?

The two ship-to-shore machines complete Phase 4 alongside five hybrid rubber-tyred gantry (RTG) cranes delivered earlier in the quarter. CMSA's RTG fleet now totals 45 units, 25 of them hybrids that pair diesel engines with lithium-ion battery packs. The remaining 20 RTGs run on conventional diesel power.

ICTSI says the latest RTGs cut fuel burn and greenhouse-gas emissions by more than 50% versus the legacy diesel fleet. Each hybrid unit lifts 41 tonnes and stacks containers six high plus one, matching the working envelope of the diesel units it replaces.

"It gives us great pride to see how this terminal has grown and how each new stage allows us to take another step forward," said José Antonio Contreras Ruiz, CEO of Contecon Manzanillo. "For us, expanding capacity is not simply about adding cranes. It means developing the quay, yard, access infrastructure and our processes as part of an integrated expansion."

How full is the terminal running today?

Contecon Manzanillo moved 1.19 million TEU in the first eight months of 2026, up 20.2% year-on-year, capturing roughly 42% of the port's container traffic. Port-wide Manzanillo handled 2.82 million TEU over the same period, an 11% gain.

Annualised, the eight-month run-rate points to roughly 1.78 million TEU for full-year 2026 — still under the 2 million-TEU nameplate. CMSA is therefore running at an estimated 89% of its expanded ceiling, leaving room for another year of double-digit volume growth before the Phase 4 footprint fills.

What does Phase 4 deliver in infrastructure terms?

The programme adds 227 metres of quay, the two new STS cranes and nine RTGs in total. Combined with ASIPONA's dredging works, the terminal can now serve the largest container ships in commercial service without length or beam restrictions at the berth.

The 17-metre operational draft at the new berths is the next milestone. With ASIPONA's dredging timeline the binding variable, CMSA's ability to handle 24,000-TEU class calls at full draft depends on whether the basin works clear before demand fills the new capacity.