Mexico’s Sargassum Strategy: Navy Leads Cleanup Effort

Quintana Roo, Mexico — Quintana Roo Governor Mara Lezama Espinosa and the head of Mexico’s Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), Alicia Bárcena, led an inspection tour aboard the sargassum-collecting vessel Natans, operated by the Mexican Navy (SEMAR). The tour was part of a comprehensive strategy to address sargassum influxes along the Caribbean coast.

Coordinated Efforts Against Sargassum

During the inspection, Bárcena praised the joint efforts between the Quintana Roo government and SEMAR, calling the collaboration "extraordinary." She emphasized that the strategy encompasses a full cycle of operations, from offshore monitoring to collection and containment of sargassum at sea and on beaches. The plan will soon include the Sargassum Circular Economy Park.

Governor Lezama expressed gratitude for federal support, particularly from President Claudia Sheinbaum, and reaffirmed the state’s commitment to protecting the tourism-dependent economy of Quintana Roo. She highlighted the Mexican Navy’s critical role in these efforts.

Operational Details of the Natans

Rear Admiral Topiltzin Tlacaeletl Flores Jaramillo, coordinator of SEMAR’s Sargassum Containment Strategy, provided details on the Natans’ operations. The vessel can transport up to 250 metric tons of sargassum and operate offshore for five consecutive days. Since the start of the sargassum season in April, it has collected 520 metric tons at sea, including 110 metric tons off the coast of Playa del Carmen.

Between Playa del Carmen and Puerto Morelos, the vessel has intercepted 380 metric tons of sargassum that would have otherwise reached the beaches. The Natans uses stern-mounted conveyor belts to collect seaweed, which is then deposited into a storage hopper. A crew of 16 Navy personnel works daily from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM to operate the system.

Broader Deployment of Sargassum Vessels

Based in Yucalpetén, Progreso, the Natans coordinates with 11 other sargassum-collecting vessels stationed at key locations, including Isla Mujeres, Cancún, Puerto Morelos, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Puerto Aventuras, Mahahual, and Xcalak.

Puerto Morelos Mayor Blanca Merari Tziu Muñoz also participated in the tour, underscoring the strategy’s importance in preserving the municipality’s tourism appeal.

The inspection reaffirmed the ongoing collaboration between federal, state, and local authorities to mitigate the environmental and economic impacts of sargassum on Quintana Roo’s coastline.