The temporary ban on the circulation of oversized cargo trucks and industrial cranes due to Holy Week will impact at least half of the country’s states, given the reach of the port of Altamira.
Arturo Puente, national advisor for the National Confederation of Mexican Carriers (Conatram) in southern Tamaulipas, stated that they have already been notified and are currently organizing to move trips forward and minimize losses due to delays in the delivery of parts and materials.
He specified that the states that will be most affected include Nuevo León, Chihuahua, Coahuila, San Luis Potosí, Querétaro, and the Bajío region, among others, encompassing approximately 50% of all states.
“It definitely has a negative impact on our logistics, especially for clients who are waiting for that machinery to put it to work, although we are aware that it will probably be positive because it reduces the risk of accidents due to the high volume of traffic during the season. Units practically leave Altamira for half of the states in the country.”
He mentioned that it is not possible to quantify at this time the total loss that may occur from suspending the movement of these large units, since freight quotes are based on the size and value of the pieces, but that they are already looking for strategies to lessen the impact.
According to Puente, the strategy that the carriers are implementing consists of coordinating with clients to move up trips before the start of the prohibition, which runs from March 27 to April 12, or adopting measures that minimize the impact.
“It is by mutual agreement with the client; we agree with them to see what measure can be implemented that does not affect both parties,” he explained. In the context of Tamaulipas’ highways, particularly from the port of Altamira, the main traffic involves oversized loads: imported machinery, industrial parts for regional developments, and steel materials.
“There’s a lot of oversized cargo arriving from imports, mainly machinery, industrial parts, and materials as well. A lot of oversized steel material is the most prevalent,” he explained.
He said that above all, safety must be prioritized, and they are aware that traffic flow on Tamaulipas and Mexican highways increases due to the movement of both domestic and international tourists. Therefore, they understand the need for adjustments.
“We can talk about economic losses due to delays, but I think we must prioritize safety. Safety is obviously the priority—the safety of people and their property.”
Source: milenio
