Cancún, Quintana Roo — The Mexican Navy has pulled specialized sargasso collection and containment vessels out of service for maintenance at the height of one of the most intense seaweed seasons on record for Quintana Roo’s coastline.
Rear Admiral Javier Mendoza Rosales, chief of staff of the XI Naval Zone, confirmed that the vessels are currently at the Chetumal Repair Center undergoing preventive and corrective maintenance. The decision comes as the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt stretches approximately 9,000 kilometers, with oceanographic models warning that about 3 million tons of the macroalgae are moving toward the Caribbean Sea, including Quintana Roo’s shores.
The naval commander said the boats could remain out of operation for up to a month, during which containment efforts at sea will rely on other available resources. Paradoxically, while the specialized units are out of the water, the Navy acknowledges that much work remains to tackle the new sargasso waves expected in the coming weeks.
Rear Admiral Ariel Mendoza Rosales, commander of the XI Naval Zone, reported that more than 63,000 tons of sargasso have been collected along Quintana Roo’s coasts so far in 2026 as part of a comprehensive strategy coordinated with federal, state, and municipal authorities.
“We have collected over 63,000 tons of sargasso this year. Although that seems like a very significant figure, there is still much to be done, as we have information about new arrivals of this macroalgae in the coming weeks,” he said.
Officials are analyzing new strategies to strengthen containment at sea and prevent sargasso from reaching the barriers installed off the state’s beaches. The plan includes expanding preventive actions in open waters to intercept and remove the algae before it hits the coastline, reducing environmental, tourism, and economic impacts.
The Navy currently has two brigades of 25 personnel each deployed in Mahahual, where they carry out ongoing beach cleaning and collection work. Between 8,000 and 9,000 meters of containment barriers remain installed in municipalities such as Benito Juárez, Puerto Morelos, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, and Mahahual, with potential expansion this year.
The operational force dedicated to combating sargasso includes one transoceanic vessel, one coastal sargasso vessel, 22 smaller boats, and three shallow-water Aquamarina-type sargasso vessels. However, the latter are currently out of service due to maintenance.
Naval authorities acknowledged that the phenomenon continues to pose one of the greatest environmental challenges for Quintana Roo and anticipated that containment efforts will need to be reinforced as new sargasso masses approach the Mexican Caribbean.
