Hope for the Cozumel Economy
There is a new law in the United States due to be implemented in 2015, that will prevent extended docking of cruise ships that are burning large amounts of heavy fuel oil. This new environmental policy of the American Union requires the use of light diesel on ships and the cruise industry has neither the time nor the money to require all ships to comply with regulations. Faced with the prospect of stopping most of its fleet while doing the conversion, it is cheaper and practical to make a base port (home port) in Mexico, where laws are not as strict.
A home Port in the Riviera Maya could be realized along with a fourth cruise ship port in Cozumel, in the area of the harbor. The home port would be located in the Punta Venado, a mainland municipality of Cozumel where there would be no problem for municipal building permits that in the past prevented a similar project in X’Caret.
The new dock project in Cozumel has been around for several years, as they have been unsuccessful in finding a company interested in implementing the project. Under the current conditions, it would have little economic viability. There is a big opportunity for Cozumel to be a home port to cruise ship companies by adding a fourth port. Cozumel could benefit by an increase in the number of cruise ships arriving each year, plus as a home port, the ships would stay longer and over night.
Princess Cruises or P & O Cruises have shown interest in acquiring the grant for the site, and would have enough traffic to make it profitable. The project is in the works and should be resolved soon, since the change in U.S. law is just around the corner.
The Cozumel Sun
