Mexico’s Maya train creates infra opportunities in Yucatán

Works on the US$7.5bn Maya train in Mexico’s southeast have encouraged authorities to eye at least three new infrastructure projects for Yucatán state capital Mérida. 

The 1,500km passenger and rail line “is the beginning of an infrastructure project that may lead to more proposals in the future … We will always seek to establish an alliance with airports and ports,” tourism board Fonatur director Rogelio Jiménez Pons said during a railway webinar organized by the national education college for professionals (Conalep) on Thursday.

Fonatur is responsible for building the Maya train.

As an example of these alliances, Jiménez cited three potential projects for Mérida. The city will be served by stretch three of the rail. 

Two are early stage proposals that involve a rail extension and the relocation of an airport, while the third one is an advanced port expansion that has already been presented. 

EARLY STAGE 

The first early stage project involves extending the unfinished Maya train from the yet-to-be built Mérida station – expected to be concluded in 2022 – to Progreso port, about 35km from the capital on the Gulf of Mexico coast. 

“It will be done eventually. I hope that it begins to be built soon because it will have great implications,” Jiménez said. 

The second involves the relocation of the Mérida airport closer to the future city station and complement the high tourist demand that the train is expected to create. Moving the airport south would also help reduce traffic demand at the existing Cancún international airport in Quintana Roo state.

In August, Jiménez spoke to Bnamericas about the airport solutions Fonatur is proposing to relieve Cancún airport. One of those also includes building a new airport in Tulum, for which a concrete project is already on the government’s table.

Merida’s existing airport is in the northeast and far away from the southern future station. The proposal to move it was originally pitched in 2019, but Fonatur and private players could not agree on a deal.

“We are going to free an area of 700ha, which will be of great benefit to the city,” the Fonatur director said, adding that the government already has a concrete plan to build the new Tulum airport in Quintana Roo state. 

PROGRESO PORT EXPANSION

The third project is also the most advanced of them all, as it has already confirmed some investments and areas of opportunities. 

It involves the 4bn-peso (US$200mn) expansion of the existing Progreso port, Yucatán’s most important maritime trade point.

Intentions to expand the deep seaport had already been announced during the presentation of the country’s new 2020-24 national infrastructure program (PNI) on October 5. 

However, a European firm recently announced that it signed an agreement with the state government to begin an investment plan for the port’s facilities. 

It is unclear if the firm’s investment is part of the PNI or an additional investment to the already announced US$200mn, but both announcements resulted from the construction of the Maya train project. 

With an initial confirmed investment of US$150mn, Italian company Fincantieri has committed to invest up to US$550mn in three stages in the Progreso port expansion, Yucatán state government said in a statement on November 24. 

The first stage will involve the construction of a shipyard for cruise and deep draft vessel maintenance and the acquisition of structure for a floating dock, elevated platforms, machinery and other equipment, according to an agreement signed between the company and the local government. 

All projects will be carried out by the private sector in coordination with the state government, which holds a port concession, governor Mauricio Vila Dosal said in the statement.

The geographical position of Progreso, in the Gulf of Mexico, was the determining factor to make the investment, Giorgio Rizzo di Grado e di Premuda, administrative director of Fincantieri, said in the statement.