Podcast: McAllen EDC hosts tour of four Mexican seaports

MCALLEN, RGV - McAllen Economic Development Corporation and the Binational Council of Economic Development of Reynosa (COBIFER) recently took a potential Chinese investor on a tour of Mexican seaports. The two groups believe there are logistical advantages for companies to use Mexican ports when moving raw materials and goods between the United States and China. Joaquin Spamer, a Mexican businessman based in the Rio Grande Valley, sells U.S. cotton to Asia. He has dubbed the use of Mexican ports in the Pacific Ocean basin the “Third Coast” approach. Spamer, a member of the McAllen EDC board of directors, was on the recent trip. The tour included visits to the seaports of Lazaro Cardenas and Manzanillo, which are on the Pacific side of Mexico, and Altamira and Veracruz, which is on the Gulf of Mexico side. s Lazaro Cardenas is the largest Mexican seaport and one of the largest seaports in the Pacific Ocean basin, with an annual traffic capacity of around 25 million tonnes of cargo. Manzanillo handles Pacific Ocean cargo for the Mexico City area.The tour also included visits to Mexico City, where almost 22 percent of Mexico’s gross domestic product is produced, and Monterrey.In addition to Spamer, MEDC was represented by Ralph Garcia, who handles business recruitment and expansion for MEDC in Reynosa. Representing COBIFER on the tour was its president, Luis Cantu.On the tour they met with state government officials, economic development leader, investors, and port terminal chiefs.The Mexican tour followed a recent visit to China by McAllen and State of Tamaulipas leaders. “We wanted to showcase the competitive advantages of the Third Coast option,” said Garcia.The above podcast features an exclusive interview with Garcia about the Mexican tour.Go to www.riograndeguardian.com to read the latest border news stories and watch the latest news videos.