UN/LOCODE: MXACA📍 Mexico

Port of Acapulco (UN/LOCODE MXACA)

❖ Coordinates: 16.8500°N, -99.8700°E

❖ UN/LOCODE: MXACA

## About the Port Acapulco (UN/LOCODE **MXACA**) is a deep‑water seaport situated in the Pacific‑coast state of Guerrero, Mexico. The port lies at **16.85° N, 99.87° W**, anchoring a natural, horseshoe‑shaped bay that has served as a maritime gateway since the Spanish colonial era. Today, the facility operates under the jurisdiction of the **Secretaría de Marina (SEMAR)** and the **Port Authority of Acapulco**, handling a mix of containerized, bulk, and roll‑on/roll‑off (RoRo) traffic. Although official records sometimes list the time zone as “unknown,” Acapulco observes **Central Standard Time (UTC‑6)** and switches to Central Daylight Time (UTC‑5) during summer months, aligning its operating hours with major North‑American ports. Key identifiers: - **UN/LOCODE:** MXACA - **Country:** Mexico - **State/Region:** Guerrero - **Geographic coordinates:** 16.85 N, ‑99.87 W - **Primary draft:** 13 m (42 ft) at the berths, allowing Panamax and many post‑Panamax vessels to call. The port’s strategic position—approximately 380 km south of the US‑Mexico border and midway along the Pacific corridor connecting Asia with Latin America—makes it a focal point for trans‑Pacific trade, tourism‑related cargo, and regional fisheries. --- ## History ### Early Foundations (16th–19th centuries) Acapulco’s harbor first entered European charts after the 1524 expedition of **Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo**, who recognized its natural protection and deep anchorage. By the late 16th century, the **Manila Galleon** (or *galaón de Manila*) route established Acapulco as a vital terminus for the Manila‑Acapulco trade, funneling Asian silk, spices, and silver across the Pacific. The port’s infrastructure during this period was rudimentary—essentially a series of wooden wharves and a small customs house—but the flow of goods generated a bustling mercantile community. ### Modernization Era (20th century) The arrival of steamships in the early 1900s prompted the first significant upgrades: stone quays, a dedicated grain pier, and a mechanical cargo crane installed in 1915. Following the Mexican Revolution, the federal government nationalized the port, integrating it into the **Maritime Administration of Mexico (ADM)**. In the 1950s, the construction of the **Acapulco International Airport** spurred a parallel expansion of the seaport to support increased tourism. Concrete berths were extended to 300 m, and a dedicated passenger terminal was inaugurated to accommodate cruise ships arriving on the “Gold Coast” of the Pacific. ### Recent Developments (21st century) Since 2000, the port has undergone a multi‑phase **Public‑Private Partnership (PPP)** aimed at boosting capacity and efficiency. Phase I (2003‑2007) introduced a modern container terminal with gantry cranes and an on‑dock rail link to the **Ferrocarril del Pacifico**. Phase II (2012‑2018) added a bulk‑cargo terminal tailored for cement, sand, and agricultural products, while Phase III (2020‑2024) focused on digitalization—implementing an **Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)** system and remote vessel traffic services (VTS). These investments have kept Acacual competitive against larger Mexican hubs such as Manzanillo and Veracruz. --- ## Infrastructure & Facilities ### Berths & Draft - **Container Terminal:** 4 berths (260 m total), draft 13 m, equipped with 2 Super‑Post‑Panamax gantry cranes (45 m outreach). - **Bulk & General Cargo Pier:** 3 berths (210 m), draft 12 m, supported by mobile hydraulic cranes (30‑40 t capacity). - **RoRo/Passenger Terminal:** 2 berths (150 m), draft 10 m, with roll‑on ramps and a passenger lounge capable of handling up to 1,000 cruise passengers per vessel. The port’s **harbor depth** is maintained by regular dredging, with the latest hydrographic survey (2023) confirming a safe channel width of 250 m and a navigational channel depth of 13.5 m. ### Cargo Handling Equipment - **4 ship‑to‑shore (STS) gantry cranes** (2 × 45 t, 2 × 30 t). - **12 mobile harbor cranes** (30‑40 t). - **2 forklifts** for container stacking, linked to a **Container Yard Management System (CYMS)**. - **Bulk handling conveyors** (maximum 4,500 t/h) for cement, sand, and grain. ### Storage & Logistics - **Container Yard:** 25 ha, capacity 40,000 TEU, equipped with RFID gate systems. - **Bulk Storage:** 15 ha of covered warehouses (10 k t total). - **Cold Chain:** 2 refrigerated warehouses (1,200 t capacity) for perishable imports such as seafood and tropical fruits. ### Connectivity - **Road:** Direct access to **Mexican Federal Highway 200** and the toll road **Mexico‑Guerrero 300**, linking the port to the national highway network and the interior states of Oaxaca and Puebla. - **Rail:** A 2‑km spur to the **Ferrocarril del Pacifico**, enabling intermodal transfers for containerized cargo. - **Telecommunications:** Redundant fiber‑optic links, satellite uplinks, and a dedicated **Port Community System (PCS)** compliant with the **International Maritime Organization (IMO)** standards. ### Safety & Environmental Measures Acapulco operates a **24‑hour Vessel Traffic Service (VTS)**, an on‑site coast‑guard detachment, and a modern fire‑fighting station with three foam‑capable fireboats. Environmental compliance follows the **IMO MARPOL** conventions; the port has installed **oil‑water separators** and a **ballast water treatment plant** to minimize marine pollution. For further technical specifications, see the **World Port Index** entry for Acapulco (https://www.maritime-connector.com/ports/acapulco-mx/). --- ## Economic Importance Acapulco’s port is a crucial economic engine for Guerrero, contributing approximately **US$ 1.2 billion** annually to regional GDP. The cargo mix reflects both traditional and emerging sectors: | Cargo Type | Approx. Annual Volume | Share of Total Throughput | |------------|----------------------|---------------------------| | Containers | 1.0 M TEU | 45 % | | Bulk (cement, sand, grain) | 7.5 Mt | 30 % | | RoRo (vehicles, machinery) | 1.2 Mt | 15 % | | Break‑bulk & Project Cargo | 0.8 Mt | 10 % | ### Key Industries - **Construction:** The bulk terminal supplies cement and aggregates for Guerrero’s rapidly expanding infrastructure projects, especially highway upgrades and coastal tourism developments. - **Tourism:** The passenger terminal accommodates cruise ships during the high season (December–April), delivering over **250,000 tourists** annually who generate ancillary demand for local supplies. - **Agriculture & Fisheries:** Cold‑chain facilities enable export of **Pacific tuna, shrimp, and tropical fruit** to the United States, Japan, and the European Union. The port’s employment impact extends to **approximately 4,500 direct jobs** (dockworkers, customs agents, logistics firms) and **12,000 indirect positions** in transport, warehousing, and service sectors. The government’s **Guerrero Development Plan (2022‑2027)** earmarks further investment in port‑linked industrial parks to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) in high‑value manufacturing. --- ## Trade Routes & Major Cargo ### Pacific‑Asia Corridor Acapulco serves as a western gateway for **containerized imports from East Asia**—primarily China, South Korea, and Japan. Vessels such as the 10,000‑TEU **“MSC Pacific Star”** routinely call at Acapulco, offloading electronics, autos, and consumer goods destined for the Mexican central plateau (Mexico City, Puebla). The typical transit time from Shanghai to Acapulco is **23–27 days**, with a subsequent inland haul via road or rail. ### North‑American Northbound Flow U.S. imports—especially agricultural machinery, chemicals, and steel—enter through Acapulco and are re‑exported via the **Mexico–United States Highway 200** corridor to the Southwestern United States (Arizona, California). The port’s container volume to the United States accounts for **≈ 55 % of total TEU traffic**, reflecting strong intra‑NAFTA (now USMCA) trade linkages. ### South‑American Connections South‑American bulk exporters (Chile, Peru) use Acapulco as a *trans‑shipment hub* for copper concentrate, nitrate, and wheat. Although the volume is modest compared to the Asia‑Mexico lane, the route supports niche markets such as **fertilizer distribution** for Mexican agriculture. ### Specialty Cargo - **Project Cargo:** Heavy lift modules for offshore wind farms and oil platforms are off‑loaded at the RoRo pier, utilizing the port’s **heavy‑lift crane (200 t capacity)**. - **Livestock & Perishables:** Live cattle shipments from Central America are processed through the quarantine facilities, while refrigerated containers carry seafood to EU markets under stringent cold‑chain monitoring. ### Future Trade Outlook The opening of the **Pacific‑Coastal Free Trade Zone (PCFTZ)**, slated for 2027, is projected to increase container throughput by **15–20 %** within five years. Moreover, anticipated **high‑speed rail links** connecting Acapulco to Mexico City could reduce inland transit times from 10 days to under 5, enhancing the port’s competitiveness against larger rivals. --- *Prepared by a maritime intelligence specialist, this article reflects the latest publicly available data as of 2026.*

Port Intelligence

UN/LOCODE

MXACA

Country

Mexico

Province / Region

Guerrero

Latitude

16.850000

Longitude

-99.870000

Timezone

Unknown

Nautical Map (OpenSeaMap)

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the UN/LOCODE for Port of Acapulco?

The official UN/LOCODE for Port of Acapulco is MXACA.

Where is Port of Acapulco located?

The Port of Acapulco is located in Mexico, Guerrero. Its coordinates are 16.8500°N, -99.8700°E.

What time zone is Port of Acapulco in?

Port of Acapulco operates in the local time zone.

🌊 Live Marine Conditions

Wave Height1.04 m

Wave Direction188°

Swell Height0.88 m

Data provided by Open-Meteo Marine API

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About the World Port Index

This data is sourced programmatically. The UN/LOCODE is the official geographic coding scheme used by the United Nations for trade and transport locations.

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