Mexico Government Preparing to Name Punta Colonet Contractors

It was reported on February 27 by an industry research company that Mexico's secretary of communications and transportation, Molinar Horcasitas, is now saying that the Punta Colonet mega-port project will shortly issue a new timetable. Business Monitor International (BMI) reports that the project will "go ahead" in September 2010, and that the prime contractors could include, among others: Mexican construction firm ICA; Hong Kong terminal operator Hutchison Port Holdings; Union Pacific and/or MTC.

The Punta Colonet project, about 240km south of San Diego, remains the flagship infrastructure project of the Felipe Calderón administration. The project was originally to cost about MXN50billion (US$3.82billion), with a completion date of 2020 and a capacity of 6 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) per year. With the current global economic slump, Mexico has down-sized their plans somewhat, and announced it will build out the mega-port over a longer period of time. The community of Punta Colonet is projected to grow from its current population of 9,000 to 230,000 by 2040.

BMI estimated a very sharp fall in the Mexican economy in 2009, but says 2010 and subsequent years are now looking more encouraging. After a GDP decline of 7.1% in 2009, BMI has raised their projection for 2010 to +3.2% (was +0.8%), followed by +3.3% in 2011 (was +3.2%). The research company says the macro-economic environment will be more supportive for the freight industry in the five years starting in 2010. Even rosier U.S. West Coast import projections were posted on this blog earlier.

The full BMI report can be purchased here. Go here to learn how to make money buying and selling Punta Colonet domains.

Punta Colonet Could Link to Proposed Yuma, Arizona, Inland Port

Yuma, Arizona, is considering an inland port in conjunction with the planned "China-backed" Punta Colonet mega-port in Mexico that would bring Asian goods to North America, says Tom Skancke, president of The Skancke Co., Ltd. He spoke yesterday before the Southern Nevada chapter of the Commercial Real Estate Development Association in Las Vegas. He advocates the formation of regional planning organizations so roads and rail lines are built to serve a broad area, and supports a 5 cents/gallon hike in federal gasoline taxes and GPS-based highway user fees to fund such projects. Mexico has not yet determined where the critical rail line from Punta Colonet will enter the U.S., but Jose Rubio Soto, regional coordinator of the Punta Colonet project, has said that many favor Mexicali, meaning the rail line would enter California, but could then go east to the proposed Yuma inland port.

Punta Colonet Contracts in First Half 2010; Operations to Begin in 2012

Mexico's Secretary of Communications and Transportation yesterday reiterated his agency's intention to award contracts for the construction of the mega-port at Punta Colonet, but, as he has said before, the initial construction will be scaled down from the original plans in recognition of the recent global economic downtown. He said that contracts will be tendered in the first half of 2010, and  port operations will begin in 2012. He also noted that work continues to arrange a railroad port of entry to move containers from Punta Colonet into the U.S.

Punta Colonet Part of Mexico's Plan To Be "North America's Logistic Platform"

As the global economy recovers, Mexico is positioning itself as the "logistic platform of North America", according to Mexico's Secretary of Communications and Transportation Juan Molinar Horcasitas. To accomplish this, he said yesterday, Mexico is making large investments in port infrastructure, highway and railroads. He said three Pacific Ocean ports -- Punta Colonet, Lázaro Cárdenas and Manzanillo -- will receive major investments.  The plan is to replace the port complex of Los Angeles-Long Beach, which cannot be expanded further, as the primary and preferred ports of entry for Asian freight moving into the U.S. and other North American destinations.

Punta Colonet Airport at Ojos Negros?

There is a report that the SCT is conducting studies concerning a possible airport to be built in the fairly barren agricultural area of Ojos Negros, with the objective of having that facility serve the planned mega-port, mega-city at Punta Colonet.

Punta Colonet Road Improvements

Mexico's Ministry of Communications and Transport (the SCT) reported that as part of modernization and maintenance of roads during 2010, it will invest 130 million pesos to modernize the highway between Maneadero and Punta Colonet, a distance of some 10.5 km. This appears to be more of a routine maintenance expenditure, rather than an investment tied to plans for development of the Punta Colonet mega-port.

Punta Colonet Yellow Pages - Pricing a Domain

OK, we know that the domain www.PuntaColonetYellowPages.com is for sale, but what is it worth? One way to figure a domain’s value is to see what people have paid for similar domains.

Here are a few confirmed sales for comparison: AtlantaYellowPages.com sold for $2154; MontrealYellowPages.com went for $2052; EdmontonYellowPages.com attracted $2900; and SeattleYellowPages.com sold for an even $3000. In March 2009, Guagua.com sold for a cool $100,000. (Guagua is a town in the Philippines.) In May 2010, GreenwichVillage.com sold for $11,000. A bid of $4500 would probably get you the Punta Colonet domain, but any reasonable offer will be considered. Submit your bid as a "comment" to this blog.

U.S. West Coast Container Ports' Business is Surging; Should Encourage Punta Colonet Development

If the Mexican government needed confirmation that the Punta Colonet mega-port would open well after the global economy had recovered, they got confirmation today. The (U.S.) National Retail Federation announced that the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach (Punta Colonet's competitors) will receive a stronger surge in imports than previously expected in the first half of 2010, rising as much as 28% over previous-year levels as the economic recovery continues to gather strength.

Imports into U.S. container ports are forecast to rise 25% during the first six months of the year compared with the year-earlier period. Earlier container cargo forecasts had been for lukewarm improvement at best for the first half of the year. Hackett Associates, which tracks monthly import data for major retailers, said that it has seen positive signs for the economy, including the fact that the record number of ships that were laid up or idled for lack of work last year has begun to drop substantially. Punta Colonet construction contracts are to be awarded this year.

Punta Colonet Photos; Population to Explode from 9,000 Today to 230,000 by 2040

To get an idea of just how bold Mexico's idea of building one of the world's largest container shipping ports out of nothing really is, take a look at the gorgeous photos in this slide show. Mexico's government lists the current Punta Colonet population as 9,000, but these photos suggest that's an overstatement. The mega-port city's population is expected to grow to 48,000 within five years, and 230,000 by 2040, according to the planning document issued by the Urban Development Program of the Center for Population and the City Planning Institute of Ensenada. This explosion in population and attendant business development will drive Punta Colonet domain values sky high. You can see a list of some valuable Punta Colonet domains HERE; submit your offer to buy any of them by submitting a “comment” to this blog. To create new domains for $8 each, go here for 100% reliable service.

Punta Colonet News & Comments Welcome

There is very little news in U.S. publications about developments in the planning of the Punta Colonet mega-port. We scan the worldwide web many times daily for fresh news on the subject, and report it all here. If you have news or insights concerning Punta Colonet, please let us know. Submit your comments to this blog. If you prefer that we not post your comment, just let us know and we will be happy to honor your confidentiality.

90% of World's Traded Goods Shipped by Sea; Maersk is #1 Container Shipper

Reuters reported on Feb 5 that Denmark's shipping industry, the world's 5th largest, saw earnings fall by 25% in 2009, to $26 billion US. The Danish Shipowners Association said the global economic crisis is affecting the shipping industry in the form of falling cargo volumes and freight rates. Danish shippers' foreign exchange earnings had hit an all-time high in 2008, so 2009 was a major fall off.

Some 90% of the world's traded goods by volume is transported by sea, and Danish shippers account for 10%. Danish shipping and oil conglomerate A.P. Moeller-Maersk's Maersk Line operates the world's No. 1 container shipping fleet. Maersk is scheduled to report full-year 2009 results on March 4.

Punta Colonet Domain Values Will SOAR!

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Mexico Government Guarantees 2010 Punta Colonet Mega-Port Contract Tenders

Mexico's undersecretary of the Department of Communications and Transportation  (the SCT), Humberto Treviño Landois, on Jan 12, 2010, said his government "guarantees" that contracts will be awarded this year for development of the Punta Colonet mega-port (and also for an airport at the resort destination of Riviera Maya).  The official says that 20 companies have consulted with his agency on drafting of the tender offers, which are now complete. The agency is taking final steps to make certain that red tape will not slow the process, as time is now of the essence in getting the mega-port development under way.

Punta Colonet domains (web addresses) are increasing in value daily. You can see a list of some valuable Punta Colonet domains HERE; submit your offer to buy any of them by submitting a “comment” to this blog. To create new domains for $8 each, go here for 100% reliable service.

Building a City in Punta Colonet

The mega-port being developed in Punta Colonet is being called a "Mexican Long Beach", since planners are aiming to make it the primary North American point of entry for Asian cargo containers headed for U.S. markets (overtaking Southern California's ports in volume).  The government's design for Punta Colonet includes the intermodal port, housing, industrial parks, commercial development, a hotel zone, desalination plant, electric generating plant, a natural gas facility, super highway, airport and a rail connection to the U.S. Development and operating contracts, which will be awarded this year (2010) according to the government's announcement, will run up to 45 years in length. Juan Molinar Horcasitas said on January 13 that the government still intends to spend a total of roughly $5 billion on the mega-port project, as originally planned.

Punta Colonet Key: Mexico/U.S. Rail Crossing

Mexico Secretary of Communications and Transportation (SCT) Juan Francisco Molinar Horcasitas said in a press briefing Jan 15 that construction of the mega-port at Punta Colonet depends on U.S./Mexican agreement on a border railroad crossing point.  "It is," he said, " the critical factor of the project."

The budget for the mega-port project is $5 billion. Molinar Horcasitas declined to give a total for the modified development plan, which involves phased construction over several years, but, he said, "As a consequence of dividing the project into segments, the initial expenditure might diminish, but it will not diminish over the long term in its entire ($5 billion) value. What we are doing is 'redimensioning' the project, not diminishing the scope or the total of entire investment."

MOLINAR HORCASITAS

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Global Shipping Will Have Returned to Normal When Punta Colonet Mega-Port Opens for Business

The New York Times on Jan 16 published a lengthy article on the state of global container shipping. The analysis was generally gloomy for the companies that own container ships, due to over-capacity: "Although world trade, which collapsed last year, is beginning to recover, driven by demand from developing countries, the recovery is being offset by added capacity in the large number of new container ships coming out of shipyards."

Clear signs of trade resurgence are apparent: China, the world’s largest exporter, "announced last Sunday that exports had risen 17.7% in December from a year earlier, the first increase in 14 months; imports rose 55.9%."

The Times' survey of trade analysts indicates that container traffic will likely recover to pre-recession levels in 2012 or soon thereafter. Drewry Shipping expects a 2.4% increase in global trade volume this year, after an estimated 10.3% decline last year.

Given that it will take several years of construction before the Punta Colonet mega-port will be able to begin operations, it is not surprising that the Calderon government is so determined to get the project started this year.

California Likely to Get Punta Colonet Rail Crossing

Jose Rubio Soto, regional coordinator of the Punta Colonet project, said on Jan 23 that the backers of the mega-port are sharing with the Mexican government's communications and transportation agency (the SCT) details about existing railroad crossing points between Baja California and the U.S. The objective is to choose one of those for the new rail line that will funnel containers arriving from Asia into Punta Colonet and destined for U.S. cities.

Jose Rubio noted the important time advantage of having Mexico and the U.S. agree to add Punta Colonet rail approval to an exisiting border crossing. The alternative of establishing an entirely new crossing can take eight years to arrange, he and others have noted. Mexicali, Mexico, west of Yuma, is favored by many involved in the development process, according to Jose Rubio. But he noted that more than one rail crossing will likely be required, as import volume grows at Punta Colonet.

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Picking Up From Old Blog at PuntaColonet.Wordpress

We have moved this important blog about the planned development of the mega-port at Punta Colonet, Mexico, from its earlier place at WordPress. We hope you will continue to follow all the action by visiting this blog daily for updates, as the sleepy fishing-and-farming village of Punta Colonet transforms into a major city and global shipping center.