Calica Fights Mexico for Key Quintana Roo Ports

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Amid an ongoing dispute with the Mexican government and a request for intervention from U.S. President Donald Trump, Calica attempted to block the transfer of seven ports in Quintana Roo from the Mexican Navy to the state-run Administración Portuaria Integral de Quintana Roo (Apiqroo). Among these ports are two in Cozumel, which records the highest volume of cruise passenger arrivals worldwide.

Legal Challenge Dismissed

Calica, a subsidiary of U.S.-based Vulcan Materials Company, filed a lawsuit to nullify the concessions granted to Apiqroo in September 2023. The case was heard by the Décimo Primera Sala Regional Metropolitana of the Federal Court of Administrative Justice in Mexico City, which ruled against the company in early March. The court stated that Calica’s claims were unfounded, as it failed to demonstrate direct harm from the port transfers.

The ruling, documented in case number 24994/23-17-11-5, emphasized that Calica did not prove interference with its existing concessions. The ports in question include two in Cozumel, one in Cancún, three in Isla Mujeres, and one in Chetumal—all critical to Quintana Roo’s tourism industry.

Dispute Over Punta Venado

Calica argued that the concessions affected its operations at Punta Venado, a port south of Playa del Carmen previously used to export crushed stone to the U.S. The company lost its extraction rights in 2022 under a decree by former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who cited environmental damage to the aquifer and Mayan jungle.

The Mexican Navy countered that some ports, like La Aguada in Chetumal, are over 200 kilometers from Punta Venado, posing no conflict. The closest ports, San Miguel and the ferry terminal in Cozumel, are approximately 20 kilometers away and primarily serve tourism and supply logistics. Cozumel alone welcomed 4.6 million cruise passengers in 2024, ranking among the world’s busiest destinations.

Broader Legal and Political Battles

Calica’s legal challenges are ongoing, with options to appeal in higher courts. The conflict escalated in March when 36 U.S. congressmen urged President Trump to intervene, citing strategic economic and security interests in the region. They erroneously linked the nearby Tren Maya project to the Chinese Communist Party, prompting a rebuttal from Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who clarified the project’s public funding.

Calica’s concessions date to 1987, when Vulcan Materials partnered with Mexican firm ICA to extract and export limestone. After acquiring ICA’s stake in 2001, Vulman gained full control of Punta Venado, which remains central to its operations despite the 2024 decree establishing the Felipe Carrillo Puerto Flora and Fauna Conservation Area, banning mining on its land.

International Arbitration

The company is also pursuing a $1.5 billion claim against Mexico under the USMCA through the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), alleging unjust closures since the Enrique Peña Nieto administration.

The outcome of these disputes could reshape Quintana Roo’s port operations and environmental policies, with implications for U.S.-Mexico relations.