Mexico
Air freight, sea freight and customs in Puebla
Puebla is home to large car plants and their suppliers.
Services in Puebla
- Air freight in PueblaAir freight for time-critical and high-value cargo between Europe, the Americas and Asia.
- Sea freight in PueblaFCL and LCL sea freight on the main trade lanes, with pre-carriage and on-carriage by road or rail.
- Customs clearance in PueblaImport and export clearance by our in-house customs teams in 8 countries and by partner teams in the Ziem network.
Airports, seaports and connections in Puebla
- AirportFelipe Angeles
NLU - AirportPuebla
PBC - SeaportVeracruz
Hermanos Serdán International Airport (PBC) at Huejotzingo, west of Puebla, handles a limited amount of air cargo and is mainly useful for smaller urgent consignments. Most international air freight for the Puebla region is routed through the Mexico City airports, Felipe Ángeles (NLU) and Benito Juárez (MEX), and trucked onward. For sea freight, the Port of Veracruz on the Gulf of Mexico is the natural port for Puebla and is directly connected by toll highway, which makes it the usual route for automotive parts and machinery shipped to and from Europe.
The Mexico–Puebla–Veracruz toll highway connects Puebla with the capital and with the Port of Veracruz via Orizaba. The Arco Norte toll road starts near San Martín Texmelucan and lets trucks reach Querétaro and the Bajío without crossing Mexico City. Toll roads also link Puebla with Tlaxcala and Oaxaca. We arrange pick-up and delivery across Puebla and Tlaxcala, including the automotive supplier parks around Cuautlancingo and San José Chiapa.
Industries in Puebla and how we support them
Puebla is one of Mexico's main automotive locations, with the Volkswagen plant in Cuautlancingo, the Audi plant in San José Chiapa and a large network of suppliers in Puebla and Tlaxcala. The region also has a long textile and garment tradition. Car plants work with tight inbound schedules, so missing components quickly become a production risk. Ziem Logistics supports these supply chains with air freight on our own air waybills via the Mexico City airports, Next Flight Out for line-down parts and On-Board Courier for hand-carried components. FCL and LCL run via Veracruz, and customs clearance is handled by a partner team in the Ziem network, under the Ziem Logistics brand and to our procedures.
Operational logistics facts for Puebla
| Hub | Specialisation | Local advantage |
|---|---|---|
| Mexico City airports (NLU and MEX) | Automotive parts, urgent air freight | Wide airline choice with road delivery to Puebla |
| Port of Veracruz | FCL and LCL to and from Europe | Gulf port linked to Puebla by direct toll highway |
| Puebla and Tlaxcala automotive supplier parks | Car production, components, tooling | Inbound parts and tooling cleared in one shipment file |
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 airport do you use for urgent parts to Puebla, PBC or Mexico City?
Most international flights arrive in Mexico City, at NLU or MEX, and we truck the goods on to Puebla. PBC can be an option for smaller consignments on suitable routings. We choose per shipment and confirm the details with every booking.
Can you send an On-Board Courier to a car plant in Puebla?
Yes. An On-Board Courier hand-carries the part on a passenger flight to Mexico, clears it with the support of the partner team and continues by road to the plant or supplier site in Puebla or Tlaxcala.
Do you ship air freight from Puebla on your own air waybills?
Yes. Ziem Logistics has direct airline access and issues its own air waybills for exports from the Puebla region. We collect from the plant, deliver to the departure airport and prepare the export documents in the same file.
Who clears automotive imports for Puebla plants?
Clearance with the National Customs Agency of Mexico (ANAM) is handled by a partner team in the Ziem network, under the Ziem Logistics brand and to our procedures. We prepare the shipment data, the pedimento is filed on that basis, and you deal only with Ziem Logistics.
Can suppliers in Puebla import parts under IMMEX or PROSEC?
Yes, if the company holds an IMMEX authorisation or a PROSEC sector programme, components can be imported under those terms. The pedimento must match the programme and product data, which we check before the goods ship.
Can customs be cleared at Veracruz for goods going to Puebla?
Yes. Sea freight is normally cleared at the Port of Veracruz and then trucked to Puebla, so the goods arrive at the plant already released. We prepare the documents before the vessel arrives, because clearance depends on complete documents.