Mexico's First Marine Highway

This week, SCT reported that its Minister Javier Jiménez Espriú has officially kicked off Mexico’s Marine Highway Program by sending out the BF Caloosa from the Veracruz port to the Progreso port in the state of Yucatan. In total, Mexico’s inaugural marine highway route will have four stops: three in Mexico (Veracruz, Progreso and Puerto Morelos in the state of Quintana Roo) and one in Guatemala (Santo Tomás de Castilla).

“Marine Highway” is a commonly used term in the US. The Marine Administration within the Department of Transportation (MARAD) manages “America’s Marine Highways,” a networked system of marine cargo shipping routes that integrates ports in oceanic coastlines with those in rivers and lakes. According to its website, “MARAD's Marine Highway Program has one major goal: expand the use of America's navigable waters.” SCT’s press release on the Marine Highway Program expresses a similar sentiment, promising to build a cargo shipping system that can “develop the country’s shipping industry and its merchant marine capabilities.” In general, these marine highways can be used to alleviate the country’s heavily trafficked road and rail routes. This is a development greatly needed in Mexico, as T21 reports that cargo shipping agents across the nation’s ports are suffering from a drastic reduction in demand and activity due to COVID-19. 

However, “Marine Highways” are usually known by their European term: “short-sea shipping routes.” General Coordination of Ports & Merchant Marine General Director Fernando Bustamante said “the development of short-sea shipping capabilities will make transportation safer, since you can mitigate security issues faced by truck drivers on highways and also take logistical pressure off the national highway system by reducing maintenance needs and traffic issues.”