Rail freight transport grows 8% in Mexico

The volume of freight rail transport in Mexico registered a growth of 7.9% year-on-year in 2021, to 125 million 185,000 tons.

If that volume is compared to that of 2019, the year before the pandemic, the increase is 3.8%, at an annual rate, according to data from the Ministry of Communications and Transportation (SCT).

Of the total volume of rail transport last year, 71.3% was international traffic (92.6 million tons).

Within this last number, 70 million 343,000 tons were imported, while 22 million 266,000 tons were transported as exports.

Mexico, the 10th most populous country and the 15th largest economy in the world, is linked to the United States by geography and strong economic, cultural, and historical ties.

In addition to sharing a border of more than 3,000 kilometers with the United States, Mexico is among the main trading partners of the United States and one of the main suppliers of energy to the United States.

At the same time, Mexico imports large amounts of grain, auto parts, gasoline and other fuels from the United States.

Railway transport

Most trade between the United States and Mexico passes through a port of entry along the southwest border, often more than once, due to the increasing integration of manufacturing processes in the United States and Mexico.

According to a US Congressional report, past bilateral efforts have contributed to reduced wait times at some points of entry, but infrastructure and personnel problems continue on the US and Mexican sides of the border.

While Congress has enacted (P.L. 114-279) legislation to allow public-private partnerships to address some border infrastructure issues, staffing issues remain a challenge.

In May 2010, the United States and Mexico declared their intention to collaborate to improve the border between the United States and Mexico.

Since then, the 21st Century Border Bilateral Executive Steering Committee (ESC) has met, most recently in December 2021, to develop binational action plans and oversee the implementation of those plans.