Economic Implications of Matamoros Port to Impact Entire State

For the city of Matamoros, right next to the US border and strategically positioned on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, getting its own port was just a matter of time, says Ricardo Correa, Director General of API Tamaulipas, Puerto de Matamoros. But the economic implications once the new port is completed will reach across the state, and even the country, he adds.

Correa says the development of the port became a must in the wake of CNH’s licensing rounds that started in 2015. “The project to build a port in Matamoros materialized after looking at all the investment that the licensing rounds are expected to bring to Tamaulipas’ offshore industry, especially in deepwater.”

Although the state has provided the bulk of the financial support for the development, Correa points out that ports take time and money to complete and that the private sector will have a role to play. “We have been working on the port’s development for the last three years, with significant investment coming from both the federal and state governments,” he says. “As of February, 2018, 90 percent of the port’s infrastructure is ready.” To develop the last 10 percent while lowering the financial burden on public coffers, the port is using the common international practice of creating public tenders for private port operators to complete the basic infrastructure while taking part in the investment. “Such is the tendency now around the globe,” Correa says. “The public sector stops being the only infrastructure builder and becomes a facilitator for private investment. With this in mind, we are planning to open a public tender during the second half of 2018.” 

Correa acknowledges that Tamaulipas has suffered through hard times in terms of security, and he understands the possible fears investors might have, but he points out that the port is strategically placed near the US border and that a naval base is already located there, making it completely safe for investment. 

The main purpose of the Matamoros port is to provide the services that will support offshore developments in the 
region over the next five to 10 years. Because the vessels involved in these activities do not require deep waters for access, the port can be developed faster than might normally be necessary. “Compared to ports that focus on commercial traffic, the vessels that we will be receiving and that will be serving offshore shallow and deepwater operations, mainly in the Perdido region, require no more than a 24ft draft.”

Yet some factors are challenging the project, including the presence of a protected natural area. But Correa says this only makes it more valuable to get it right. “Environmental protection is vital for the project, and this is what has taken us the longest time to develop. The state of Tamaulipas wants to be a pioneer in the protection of natural resources.”

Competition with other ports in the state is not a worry because the state follows a complementary vision regarding infrastructure, Correa says. “The main shareholder in the Matamoros port is the government of Tamaulipas, which makes the planning much more integral with other ports in the state because it is now the state that is interested in its development and in connecting it with the future of the industry in Tamaulipas. Our objective is to make Matamoros the first truly deepwater port in Mexico.”

While acknowledging that the offshore oil and gas industry will fuel the port’s initial success, Correa also has his eye on future markets the completed port could serve. “We are focusing on the offshore market because that justifies the investment,” he says. Future plans include storage capabilities. “By 2019 or 2020, we are planning to offer a public tender for the creation of a fuel terminal.”

Once the port is fully up and running, Correa says it is expected to boost other economies in the region. “The shortest route from Matamoros to the Yucatan peninsula is a straight line across the sea,” Correa says. “As a result, the port’s significance for merchant activities becomes evident.”