Mahahual, Quintana Roo — Business leaders in the Costa Maya region are calling on the federal government to maintain the Mahahual cruise pier as an open-access port for all international shipping lines, arguing that the model is a competitive advantage for the Mexican Caribbean.
With President Claudia Sheinbaum scheduled to visit the area this weekend, hotel and tourism industry representatives expressed confidence that federal and state authorities will safeguard the port’s competitiveness. The push comes amid concerns over a new mega-port being built in Belize and the recent cancellation of the “Perfect Day” project.
Although the number of vessel calls at Mahahual has declined compared to the record start of 2025, the arrival of larger ships has helped offset the economic impact, according to local sources.
Tourism sector leaders said they plan to close ranks with Sheinbaum and Governor Mara Lezama to ensure the community of Othón P. Blanco has a voice in decisions about its future. Their main goal is to defend the “multi-brand” model of the pier, designed 25 years ago to centralize port activity and minimize environmental impact on the coast.
Private sector representatives argue that keeping the port open to global competition is the best strategy in the face of the Belize development. They maintain that under this principle, the new neighboring infrastructure will not pose a commercial threat but rather act as an engine of shared prosperity for the border region, which is a priority for both federal and state governments.
