Borderlands Mexico is a weekly rundown of developments in the world of United States-Mexico cross-border trucking and trade. This week: DP World sees big logistics opportunities across Latin America; Aerospace manufacturer plans $120M expansion in Texas; and Third-party logistics provider plans warehouse near Houston.
Ports and logistics operator DP World recently opened a freight forwarding hub in Mexico City to support rising demand for cross-border logistics services between Mexico and the U.S.
DP World’s investment in Mexico is a response to accelerating nearshoring trends in the country and shifting global trade dynamics, Terry Donohoe, senior vice president of freight forwarding at DP World Americas, said.
“As more companies relocate manufacturing closer to North American end markets, Mexico has emerged as a vital logistics hub, particularly for industries like automotive, electronics, and consumer goods,” Donohoe told FreightWaves in an email. “Mexico represents both a high-growth market and a natural extension of our end-to-end logistics strategy in the Americas”
Headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, DP World is one of the world’s largest container terminal operators, with 108,100 employees in 74 countries on six continents. The company also provides logistics solutions, maritime services and free trade zones.
DP World currently has a workforce of nearly 800 logistics and freight forwarding professionals in Mexico.
Donohoe said they are seeing demand for logistics services for both northbound and southbound freight between Mexico and the U.S.
“We’re seeing strong and sustained demand from shippers for logistics services between Mexico and the U.S. — in both directions,” Donohoe said. “Cross-border freight volumes hit record highs in early 2025, with Mexico exports to the U.S. fueling a significant portion of that growth.”
Donohoe said manufacturers in Mexico across sectors such as automotive, electronics, and industrial goods have been ramping up exports to the U.S. in recent months
“This has led to a surge in need for cross-border freight forwarding, customs brokerage, and multimodal transport solutions,” Donohoe said. “This corridor … is experiencing long-term, structural growth as companies reconfigure supply chains around resilience, regionalization, and speed to market.”
As of Thursday, the SONAR Inbound Ocean TEUs Volume Index shows that import container bookings from China to Mexico (IOTI.CHNMEX) are up 26% since May 12, but down 16% compared to the same period in 2024.
SONAR’s Inbound Ocean TEUs Indices (IOTI) measure bookings of twenty-foot equivalent units on a 14-day rolling average based on departure date from the port of lading. They are representative of maritime shipping container demand and a leading indicator of surface transportation demand.
While it is nearly impossible to say definitively what is driving the container growth from China to Mexico, nearshoring trends can be seen across the Americas, Donohoe said.
“The Americas is one of our fastest-growing and high-priority regions,” Donohoe said.
SONAR’s Inbound Ocean TEUs Volume Index from China to Mexico (IOTI.CHNMEX) shows container freight has been surging since May 12. To learn more about SONAR, click here.
In September, The Wall Street Journal reported that DP World was in talks with the Mexican government about establishing a large industrial complex in the country, including combining a port and industrial park to streamline cargo bound for the U.S.
While DP World does not operate any U.S. ports currently, the company has been investing in Canadian terminals and U.S. inland logistics businesses.
Donohoe declined to specifically address whether DP World plans to invest in or operate a port in Mexico.
“Right now, we are very focused on strengthening our inland logistics capabilities in Mexico,” Donohoe said. “Our priorities include freight forwarding, contract logistics, warehousing, and multimodal transport solutions that serve the vital Mexico-U.S. trade corridor.”
In addition to opening a freight hub in Mexico City, DP World has been expanding its presence across Latin America and the Caribbean, particularly in the freight forwarding sector.
Over the past two years, DP World has opened more than 35 freight forwarding offices across the Americas, with recent additions in Curitiba, Brazil, as well as Toronto.
In May, DP World announced plans for $760 million expansion of the Dominican Republic’s Port of Caucedo and its free trade zone.
“We recently signed a multi-million-dollar MOU with the Dominican Republic to expand cargo capacity and manufacturing operations at the Port of Caucedo and its adjacent special economic zone,” Donohoe said. “This investment will fill a critical demand from global businesses for alternative trade and manufacturing hubs to serve their major American markets.”
Aerospace manufacturer plans $120M expansion in Texas
Germany-based MTU Maintenance plans to invest $120 million to upgrade its 462,847-square-feet facility at Perot Field Fort Worth Alliance Airport in Fort Worth, Texas.
The expansion will create 1,200 direct jobs to the region and up to 2,000 indirect jobs in services, logistics and infrastructure, according to a news release.
MTU will be adding engine maintenance, repair and overhaul services for its clients CFM International and GE Aerospace at the facility.
“These agreements will see MTU’s site in Fort Worth develop from an on-site service center to full disassembly, assembly and test facility,” the company stated.
The facility will be renamed MTU Maintenance Fort Worth. Officials did not provide a timeline for the facility’s expansion.
MTU Maintenance operates a global network of service centers, including locations in Germany, Canada, Serbia, China, Brazil, Australia and the U.S. The company is a subsidiary of Munich-based MTU Aero Engines AG.
Third-party logistics provider plans warehouse near Houston
Houston-based Texas Logistic and Fulfillment Services LLC said it is taking over a former Amazon logistics warehouse in Sugar Land, Texas.
The 300,000-square-foot facility is being converted into one of the largest HVAC-enabled third-party logistics hubs in the Houston area, according to a news release.
“This expansion will unlock major service bottlenecks and support the fast-growing demand for climate-controlled logistics — especially for electronics and temperature-sensitive goods arriving through Port Houston. It also enables us to handle the increasing volume of lithium battery containers flowing into Texas,” Omri Shafran, CEO of Texas Logistic and Fulfillment, said in a statement.
Texas Logistic and Fulfillment Services provides warehousing, logistics and fulfillment services to customers such as Best Buy, CVS, Academy and Costco.
