Mexico looks to revive Progreso port expansion and modernization

The Mexican government could resume next year plans to put out to tender the 4.2bn-peso (US$213mn) project to expand, modernize and operate Progreso port in Yucatán state, following more than a year without updates on its status. 

State governor Mauricio Vila (pictured right) said Sunday that during a meeting with President Andrés Manuel López Obrador he discussed plans for several works, including the Maya train, Gran Parque La Plancha park and the port’s expansion. 

The announcement follows the signing of an agreement between Vila and navy minister José Rafael Ojeda Durán on November 4 to get the project going. Navy ministry Semar became Mexico's main port authority through a 2021 reform. 

“The agreement establishes the coordination for the port development of the entity through the promotion and commercialization to achieve the construction, equipping and operation of a terminal in an area of up to 40ha of the port area,” the Yucatán government said in a statement, adding that the project currently “has an environmental authorization from [environmental ministry Semarnat].”

The idea is to increase the depth of the navigation channel and dock to receive larger vessels, the government said. 

“Currently, ships with loads of 36,000-40,000t can enter, but with these improvements, it will be possible to reach 100,000t,” the statement said. 

Authorities had not provided updates on the project since September last year, when port authority Asipona Progreso said in a statement that it was analyzing five bids it received in August.