by Donald Wood
Last updated: 12:10 AM ET, Thu December 16, 2021
The Mexican Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) announced it has approved the construction of a fourth cruise ship dock in Cozumel.
According to the Riviera Maya News, documents submitted by SEMARNAT show the project will cost 511 million pesos and be built on the northwest coast of the island of Cozumel, both in the land area along Rafael E. Melgar Avenue and in the marine area of the Federal Maritime Terrestrial Zone (ZOFEMAT).
The L-shaped structure will be built on nearly three acres of land that will allow ships measuring almost 1,200 feet in length to dock in the port. It will be constructed on steel piles and precast concrete slabs, as mandated by the Environmental Impact Statement.
The cruise terminal will serve as the port's reception area for boarding and disembarking passengers and boast bathrooms, parking, offices and luggage storage. The project is one of 39 that make up the Agreement for Economic Reactivation signed by Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador last year.
The port project approval was met with opposition from residents and environmentalists, but SEMARNAT is working to appease them as well. The Muelles del Caribe company said the area was chosen in accordance with the Cozumel Population Center Urban Development Plan.
The work was approved under a series of conditions, including requiring the construction companies to present an environmental management plan, as well as the application of prevention, mitigation and environmental compensation measures.
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