Amports Mexico has signed a partial concession agreement with the Port of Altamira Authority (API) to set up a public finished vehicles terminal rather than continuing to rent area within the port to do so.
Amports managing director Ernesto Ibarra explained that the concession is for 20 years, although it could be extended for a further 20 years at the end of that period.
The concession provides security for Amports’ operations in Altamira, where it has been handling vehicles for the past two decades on behalf of such manufacturers as GM, Kia, FCA México and Navistar.
In return for the concession, Amports is to invest $11m, of which half will be spent within the first year to put into operation a 175,000 sq.m area storage area for vehicles and accessories.
Amports is now contemplating spending on railway links, specialist vehicle repair facilities, paint shops and other fixed installations.
In February, Amports opened a 6,000 sq.m long-term parking area in the port. This it did in partnership with Almacenamiento y Logística Portuaria de Altamira (Alpasa), which has the largest number of active properties in the port. Amports said that it wanted to become even more competitive in the port.
In 2017, it handled 197,032 finished vehicles, an increase of 76% over the 111,941 units that passed through its Altamira port facilities in 2016.
