Tijuana, Mexico
Sea freight in Tijuana
We book FCL and LCL sea freight for shippers and consignees in Tijuana, via Ensenada and road to the US. Pre-carriage, on-carriage by road or rail and the customs entries are planned together with the ocean booking.
Airports, seaports and connections in Tijuana
- AirportTijuana
TIJ - AirportSan Diego
SANcross-border - SeaportEnsenada and road to the US
Tijuana International Airport (TIJ), officially General Abelardo L. Rodríguez, lies directly on the US border, and the Cross Border Xpress bridge connects its terminal with San Diego for passengers. For cargo, Tijuana's export industry often uses US gateways: San Diego International Airport (SAN) and the larger Los Angeles International Airport are reached by truck through the Otay Mesa commercial crossing. Sea freight for Baja California is handled at the port of Ensenada, south of Tijuana, while larger volumes are routed through the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach in the United States.
The Otay Mesa commercial crossing handles most truck freight between Tijuana and San Diego, with the Otay Mesa East crossing being developed nearby. Federal Highway 1D runs south along the coast to Ensenada, and Highway 2D east to Tecate and Mexicali. The Mesa de Otay industrial district sits next to the border and the airport. We arrange pick-up and delivery across Tijuana, Tecate and Rosarito, with cross-border trucking through trusted road partners.
Operational logistics facts for Tijuana
| Hub | Specialisation | Local advantage |
|---|---|---|
| Otay Mesa commercial crossing | Cross-border truck freight to and from San Diego | Direct road link from Tijuana plants to US gateways |
| Tijuana International Airport (TIJ) | Mexican domestic and international air connections | Airport located on the border next to the Mesa de Otay industrial district |
| Tijuana medical-device cluster | Medical devices, electronics, aerospace parts | Regulated healthcare goods documented in one shipment file |
| Port of Ensenada | Container and general cargo for Baja California | Mexican seaport option within Baja California |
Industries in Tijuana and how we support them
Tijuana is one of the world's largest locations for medical-device manufacturing, with plants producing catheters, surgical instruments and diagnostic products. Electronics assembly, aerospace components and televisions add to the export base, most of it produced for the US market under maquiladora structures. Medical devices need careful documentation and sometimes temperature-controlled handling. Ziem Logistics supports these plants with air freight on our own air waybills, Next Flight Out for line-down parts, On-Board Courier for critical components and cross-border road freight. Customs clearance in Mexico is handled by a partner team in the Ziem network, under the Ziem Logistics brand and to our procedures.
From the port to your door in Tijuana
We arrange collection of the container or the LCL cargo at Ensenada and road to the US, customs clearance and delivery to your site in the Tijuana 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 Tijuana?
Usually Ensenada and road to the US. Depending on the shipping line and the destination, another port can be faster or more economical; we compare the options when quoting.