Guadalajara, Mexico
Sea freight in Guadalajara
We book FCL and LCL sea freight for shippers and consignees in Guadalajara, via Manzanillo. Pre-carriage, on-carriage by road or rail and the customs entries are planned together with the ocean booking.
Airports, seaports and connections in Guadalajara
- AirportGuadalajara International
GDL - SeaportManzanillo
Guadalajara International Airport (GDL), officially Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, is located south of the city between Tlajomulco and El Salto, close to the industrial corridor where most electronics plants are based. It is one of Mexico's main airports for international cargo and handles many high-value electronics shipments in small consignments. For sea freight, Guadalajara relies on the Pacific port of Manzanillo in the neighbouring state of Colima, Mexico's largest container port and the main entry point for goods from Asia. Shipments can therefore be planned by air via GDL and by sea via Manzanillo from the same catchment.
The Guadalajara–Colima toll highway runs south-west to Manzanillo, and the Ferromex rail line connects the port with Guadalajara. Toll highways lead east to the Bajío and Mexico City via Morelia, north-east towards Aguascalientes and north-west to Tepic and the Pacific coast. The Periférico ring road links the El Salto, Tlajomulco and Zapopan industrial areas with the airport. We arrange pick-up and delivery across the Guadalajara metropolitan area and the state of Jalisco.
Operational logistics facts for Guadalajara
| Hub | Specialisation | Local advantage |
|---|---|---|
| Guadalajara International Airport (GDL) | Electronics, semiconductors, high-value small consignments | Airport located beside the El Salto industrial corridor |
| Port of Manzanillo | FCL and LCL to and from Asia | Mexico's largest container port, linked to Guadalajara by highway and rail |
| Zapopan and El Salto electronics cluster | Contract manufacturing, design centres, IT | Urgent component supply by Next Flight Out or On-Board Courier |
Industries in Guadalajara and how we support them
Guadalajara is often called Mexico's Silicon Valley: contract electronics manufacturers, semiconductor design centres and software firms are concentrated in Zapopan, Tlaquepaque and El Salto. Jalisco is also a major producer of food and agricultural products, including berries, avocados and tequila. Electronics plants import components and test equipment, often urgently, and export finished modules. Ziem Logistics supports them with air freight on our own air waybills via GDL, Next Flight Out for production-critical parts and On-Board Courier for hand-carried prototypes or chips. Customs clearance is handled by a partner team in the Ziem network, under the Ziem Logistics brand and to our procedures, and FCL or LCL via Manzanillo runs in the same shipment file.
From the port to your door in Guadalajara
We arrange collection of the container or the LCL cargo at Manzanillo, customs clearance and delivery to your site in the Guadalajara area. For exports we organise the pick-up and the delivery to the terminal before the cut-off.
Customs clearance in Mexico
Ziem network
Customs clearance in Mexico is handled by a partner team in the Ziem network, under the Ziem Logistics brand and to our procedures.
For air freight to and from Mexico we issue our own air waybills.
Importers in Mexico need an RFC tax ID and registration in the Padrón de Importadores.
Frequently asked questions
Which port is used for sea freight to and from Guadalajara?
Usually Manzanillo. Depending on the shipping line and the destination, another port can be faster or more economical; we compare the options when quoting.