By Tanya Vásquez / EL IMPARCIAL

With the first shipment of Ford vehicles through the port of Guaymas, the door is opened for shipping companies and businesses from Sonora, Chihuahua, Arizona, and other Southwestern states of the United States to use this port infrastructure, which will drive the economic development of Sonora.

Francisco Acuña Méndez, president of the Council for Sustainable Development (Codeso), highlights that for this year, it is expected that Ford will ship a thousand cars to South America through the port of Guaymas, initiating a plan to attract more shipping companies and businesses interested in moving their merchandise through this location.

For the first time since Ford established its vehicle manufacturing facility in Sonora, the Port of Guaymas was used to export vehicles. In this way, Ford reduces transportation costs and its carbon footprint, replacing the land route through Lázaro Cárdenas with the route through Guaymas for exports to Chile.

Acuña Méndez points out that the modernization of the port of Guaymas is part of the Sonora Sustainable Energy Plan, promoted by Governor Alfonso Durazo Montaño. It includes several stages, primarily expanding the infrastructure to capitalize on nearshoring and thereby attract more investments that contribute to the development of the state.

This first shipment from Ford, he says, signifies a historic change. Guaymas, with over 200 years of history, had nearly 40 years without integrating its logistics with that of the port.

That disconnection meant that, for example, Ford had to travel thousands of kilometers south to Lázaro Cárdenas to move vehicles instead of using the port of Guaymas right here, ‘just around the corner’. So, it signifies a change in the role of the port for Sonora and the Northwest of the country,” he explains.

What does the departure of the first ship with Ford vehicles from the port of Guaymas signify for Sonora?

That the world took note, because around the world this issue of the “green Net Zero nearshoring logistics port” was mentioned, and it takes note that cars are going to be exported for the first time in its history.

This is interpreted not only as vehicles being exported, but also that vehicles can enter, another manufacturer can come in, so there can be electromobility, the value chain of electromobility can be explored, and so on.

“It is no longer just a port for grains and minerals like those found in other regions, but now it is a port for advanced manufacturing or a port that can be for manufacturing, for future economy, such as electromobility. That completely changes the perception of the region; therefore, it can be the anchor of development for many other things,” he expressed.

This was a first pilot testing, what is the next step for Ford?

Ford wants to use the port; they will send around a thousand cars to Chile this year in this pilot project. Part of this whole strategy is to bring shipping companies closer so that they can reduce logistical costs at the port and increase demand.

What is achieved now is that the world’s largest shipping line, MSC, is taking this pilot project to Chile. It will extend throughout the year, and at the same time, the Sonora Plan forms an alliance with the Port of Antwerp to explore how we can expand the port of Guaymas to make it more attractive for regional merchandise and for foreign companies that want to come to Sonora.

The port mainly operates with the market for minerals and grains. What is the operational vision for the port of Guaymas in the short term?

In the short term, it is already managed by the Navy, and they have done very important work to improve the port. There is an investment of over 4 billion pesos that includes connecting the port of Guaymas to Chihuahua and eventually to Texas, which is also very important.

Soon, it means that the port of Guaymas can attract more demand that already needs to use the port, but for various reasons has not been utilized. At the same time, it involves promoting the port as a green port, a sustainable hub for nearshoring, which adds value to global logistics.

Nowadays, merchandise and global companies are looking to reach green ports, which is an added advantage that would be given to this port.

Besides Ford, are there other companies that wish to use the port of Guaymas as a means of transporting their goods?

Yes, the Navy and Asipona have agreed that a new consortium in partnership with Antwerp will develop the expansion of the Port of Guaymas. This consortium will provide best practices and opportunities for multiple companies from Sonora, the northwest region of Mexico, and the southwest United States to benefit from and use the port, thereby enhancing its international connectivity.

What infrastructure is planned to be implemented at the port to make it truly competitive?

You must expand it in several aspects: a larger container terminal to handle more cargo, also maritime instruments to move all the material from the ships to the platforms; all these types of cranes and others that are needed must be expanded. Eventually, more bunkers need to be expanded, that is, more storage for clean fuels and others that ships will use.

There is a gas project that is also about to break ground; they already have the permits, which will also help the port of Guaymas to grow because many of the new ships also require gas. An ecosystem is being built around the port.

As of today, only one shipping line (MSC) operates in Guaymas. Are there discussions with other shipping companies to bring their operations to the port?

Yes, shipping companies are critical in this business model because they typically plan one or even two years in advance where they will go. It’s important that they know what’s happening and understand the demand.

We are engaging with different shipping companies; in fact, some others were invited to the event, and we are in discussions with several from various regions of the world.

Businessmen explain that a disadvantage of the port of Guaymas for containerized cargo operations is the lack of port cranes. Is the port prepared for the installation of this infrastructure, and is the installation of port cranes included in this pilot plan?

This is a matter that is being addressed. Currently, cargo is moved using a ship with a crane. The goal in the short term is for the new consortium with Antwerp to identify the new infrastructure capacity needed for nearshoring demand and to construct not only cranes but also the necessary infrastructure with the best digital processes for its operation.

The pilot plan to export vehicles from the Ford plant was executed by sending them in containers. Is there an option within the operational plan for vehicles to be exported via Ro-Ro (roll-on roll-off) ship?

Yes, that is an option we are exploring precisely with Antwerp (Belgium). The Port of Antwerp is the largest in Europe for vehicle transportation, and one of the reasons that facilitated this approach with them when we were there and when they came back here, is to see the success they have in being that gateway port to Europe and exit for a vehicle ecosystem, hybrids, non-hybrids, electric cars, that model works with RoRo or without RoRo, so they are exploring both with them.

A memorandum was signed for the port of Guaymas to receive the “Nearshoring Hub” badge. What opportunities will Sonora have with this?

More than a badge, it’s an aspiration. There is no Net Zero port, it must be clarified. Globally, the aspiration is to move towards that goal, meaning the trend for all medium and large ports, especially new ones, is to aspire to be a port with very low emissions, highly efficient, that is, Net Zero.

It is very important if you are relaunching a port with these ambitions that your goal from now on is to move in that direction, because if you do not have that goal from now on to move in that direction, well, you will not get there.

Setting the goal now that you want to be a “Nearshoring Net Zero” is a very important challenge because shipping lines do measure and monetize your efforts and results in measuring and reducing environmental impacts.

That’s why a comprehensive study of the Sonora Plan is also being conducted around all emissions being reduced to make the ecosystem more attractive, not just for the port, but for the entire Sonora Plan ecosystem.

Regarding the strategic alliance with the Port of Antwerp, Belgium, how will it be reflected in the operation of the Port of Guaymas?

The Port of Antwerp has been in operation for over a thousand years, is one of the world’s leading ports, and is at the forefront of energy transition. Antwerp, together with the Mexican consortium, will develop a new model for Guaymas based on international best practices.

It has a rigorous environmental system and is highly efficient in clean energy, as well as in handling automobile and petrochemical transport.

The strategic alliance we signed with them is for them to share their vast experience with our young people. The goal is to create a local professional and competitive team to manage the Port of Guaymas under the highest international standards.

What progress has the Sonora Plan made?

The Sonora Plan is an industrial policy that produces short, medium, and long-term results. In the short term, which is where we currently are, it focuses on the construction, design, and implementation of initiatives such as the Puerto Peñasco solar project, the largest in the Americas, among others.

The Guaymas-Chihuahua highway, the port of Guaymas, the modernization of customs, among others. Right now, there are some inaugurations that Governor Alfonso Durazo will be doing with gas pipelines, among other projects.

What we are seeing right now is a strengthening of infrastructure that didn’t exist in Sonora, which will make us more competitive. At the same time, we are creating and training a new generation of young men and women from Sonora who can enter these new businesses. Now, the goal is to aim for an industry in new-generation topics such as semiconductors, electromobility, and automation.

For this to work, you must involve the people of Sonora, especially the young people, in this topic. There, you can see short and medium-term initiatives with the universities that are being worked on.

What opportunities are currently being visualized in Sonora?

There is a very interesting context which is, for the first time in history, states like Arizona, which were the ‘ugly duckling’ of the southern United States, are now the states leading in foreign direct investment from the US, more than other much larger states.

Also, for the first time in history, Sonora, excluding Mexico City which historically has attracted more investments due to historical reasons, is the state that has seen the most investment in Mexico.

There is a very special moment in our region and the port of Guaymas is also in that moment.