Navy expands sargassum cleanup after record seaweed year

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — The Mexican Navy (SEMAR) has extended its sargassum season and intensified operations following record seaweed arrivals in 2025 that lasted until November, establishing new tonnage records along the Quintana Roo coastline.

In a meeting with Playa del Carmen business owners, Topiltzin Tlacaelel Flores Jaramillo, Coordinator of SEMAR’s Sargassum Attention Strategy, announced these new measures, which include extending the sargassum barrier to 3 kilometers in length.

He explained that an oceanic front will be established using the vessel “Natans,” which has a capacity to collect 250 tons of sargassum. The operation will also deploy 4 amphibious sargassum vessels with 150-ton capacity each; 11 coastal vessels with 20-ton capacity; and 22 smaller vessels with 400-kilogram capacity.

SEMAR will handle the oceanic and coastal fronts with containment barriers, while the Federal Maritime Terrestrial Zone Directorate (Zofemat) will be responsible for beachfront cleanup.

Flores Jaramillo stated that preparation work is already underway with infrastructure deployment and sargassum units. From February to November, containment and collection work will occur, with vessel and equipment maintenance scheduled for late November and December to prepare for January 2027 operations.

In an interview, he noted that the most intense sargassum season will occur between March and July.

He confirmed that 2,600 meters of barrier are ready for deployment, awaiting improved weather conditions for installation.

Meanwhile, Irving Lili Madrigal, Director of Zofemat in Playa del Carmen, stated that daily cleanup continues for washed-up seaweed, as occurred atypically for a couple of weeks recently.

He emphasized that slightly more budget will be allocated this year for machinery and additional personnel. The Temporary Employment Program currently employs about 100 people, a number that could increase depending on sargassum arrival patterns.