SEMARNAT Approves Mayan Train Cargo Terminal in Cancun Jungle

The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) has authorized the clearing of 261ha of jungle on the outskirts of Cancun for the construction of the Mayan Train’s new cargo terminal. The approval follows the evaluation of an Environmental Impact Statement (MIA) submitted in March by Mayan Train, a state-owned company under the Ministry of National Defense (SEDENA).

A Federal Project with Environmental Costs

The project, named Terminal Multimodal Cancun, will be located south of Cancun International Airport and east of the passenger station of the same name. SEMARNAT granted an 18-month timeline for construction, with a public investment of MX$7.76 billion, an amount comparable to the annual budget of the municipality of Benito Juarez, where Cancun is located.

According to the agency’s ruling (SRA/DGIRA/DG-05101-25), 12 at-risk wildlife species inhabit the site, double the six identified in the original MIA. Among them is the ocellated turkey, an endemic bird with deep cultural significance in the Yucatan Peninsula.

Although Mayan Train proposed using wildlife crossings from Section 4 of the railway to mitigate risks, the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (CONANP) noted the lack of sufficient evidence on their effectiveness. Despite these concerns, the environmental permit was granted.

Scope of the Terminal

The Cancun Multimodal Terminal will include 28 facilities, such as warehouses, a hazardous waste storage site, housing for National Guard officers and train crews, a customs inspection area, a scale, a vehicular access booth, and other cargo service infrastructure.

The project will connect to Section 5 of the Mayan Train, which runs south toward Playa del Carmen and Quintana Roo, and to Section 4, which links Merida and Campeche.

SEMARNAT says that an additional permit is still required from the Agency for Safety, Energy, and Environment (ASEA) to install two diesel storage tanks with a combined capacity of 240,000L for locomotive fueling.

Civil Society Response

The announcement has reignited opposition from environmental organizations. Greenpeace México issued a statement arguing that the project confirms long-standing warnings about the Mayan Train’s hidden agenda. “The Maya Train is no longer just for passengers: it is for cargo and dispossession,” says Greenpeace Mexico.

The NGO says that the clearing of 261ha, equivalent to 261 football fields, poses a direct threat to biodiversity, indigenous territories, and the ecological balance of the region. It highlights the vulnerability of the ocellated turkey and denounced the expansion of cargo infrastructure as proof that the project prioritizes extractivist and commercial interests over local communities.

Greenpeace and allied organizations insist that the government is greenwashing the initiative by presenting it as “sustainable development.” Instead, they argue, the Mayan Train is consolidating into a mega-project of environmental devastation that jeopardizes the Mayan Jungle.

Next Steps

SEDENA now has 18 months to execute the works. While construction advances, the debate surrounding the Mayan Train continues: supporters view it as a catalyst for economic integration and regional development, while critics warn of irreparable social and environmental consequences.