The port was developed in the late 19th century due to its location at the southern terminus of the Tren Interoceánico, which carried freight across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.

There was only a small native village before Salina Cruz was chosen as the Pacific terminus of the Tehuantepec National Railway, whereupon a modern town was laid out and built on adjacent higher ground and an artificial harbour was built by the Mexican government to accommodate the expected traffic.

The enclosed space is divided into an outer and inner harbour by a double line of quays wide enough to carry six great warehouses with electric cranes on both sides and a number of railway tracks.

The works were planned to handle an immense volume of transcontinental freight, and before they were finished four steamship lines had arranged regular calls at Salina Cruz.

The winter is unknown and at times there is just something like the end of fall to early spring, the lower averages are above 21 °C, moreover no temperature below 10 °C has been recorded as in the Gulf of Mexico.