Lack of Investment Stalls Puerto Chiapas Development Hub

Nearly a year after its launch, the Puerto Chiapas Welfare Development Hub is struggling to attract private investment, prompting concerns from business leaders who cite regulatory uncertainty, a lack of tax incentives and cumbersome bureaucratic procedures as key obstacles to the project’s progress.

The absence of private capital in the hub, known by its Spanish acronym PODEBIS, has led representatives of the private sector to urge the federal government and Mexico’s Navy (SEMAR), which oversees the project, to revise its operating rules to make it viable as an investment destination.

Nicolás Castañeda, Minister of the Agribusiness Sector, Mexico’s National Chamber of the Transformation Industry, said that despite Puerto Chiapas’ strategic location and proximity to Central and South America, investor interest has remained limited due to unclear guidelines for installation and operations.

Several companies have expressed preliminary interest, Castañeda said, but are demanding greater legal certainty and clearly defined fiscal incentives before committing capital. He added that excessive bureaucracy and vague requirements have repeatedly discouraged potential investors, even after promotional meetings with domestic and foreign firms.

“The state governor has announced plans to meet with the finance minister and the Navy to modify the operating rules and attract more investment, because there is concern over the lack of interest shown by companies in establishing operations in the area,” Castañeda said.

While some investors are in the early stages of setting up operations, Castañeda warned that without substantive changes to the regulatory framework, the Puerto Chiapas hub risks falling short of its goal of becoming an economic engine for Mexico’s southern border. Business leaders hope that a review of the rules will allow the project to generate jobs, economic growth and competitiveness for surrounding municipalities, moving beyond what they describe as a largely political announcement.

The slow start in Puerto Chiapas contrasts sharply with progress reported at other Well-Being Economic Development Hubs across the country, including Tlaxcala, where Mexico has launched its first fully formalized PODEBIS project.

MBN reported that the Tlaxcala hub, expected to attract US$540 million in investment and generate 5,000 jobs, is being built on a 53ha site near Huamantla and aims to integrate agriculture, industry and tourism while strengthening education and retaining local talent. Officials say the project will directly benefit more than 264,000 residents in underserved municipalities.

Minister of Economy Marcelo Ebrard said the Tlaxcala hub has already secured 80% of its targeted investment through letters of intent and is scheduled for completion by February 2026. He described it as “the number one hub in the country” and said Tlaxcala is leading the rollout of 15 development hubs planned nationwide under President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration.

Located near municipalities such as Atltzayanca, Terrenate, and Ixtenco, the development is designed to boost regional growth through value-added agroindustry, industrial and logistics services, and cultural tourism tied to Tlaxcala’s heritage. Its access to Federal Highway 136 connects it to central and eastern Mexico, including the automotive cluster in San Jose Chiapa.

Officials also highlighted the project’s proximity to at least 10 higher education institutions, which is expected to align workforce training with emerging industries and reduce migration by creating local employment opportunities. The hub has received environmental clearance and includes plans for roadways, power supply, water, sewage and digital connectivity.

Governor Lorena Cuéllar said the initiative will significantly increase formal employment and help reduce extreme poverty. “The infrastructure, connectivity and proximity to educational centers will allow young people in Tlaxcala to gain technical and professional training aligned with new industries,” she said.

Beyond individual hubs, the PODEBIS model plays a central role in Mexico’s broader Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, or CIIT, a flagship infrastructure project designed to strengthen trade and industrial development between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

The CIIT envisions an integrated intermodal logistics platform linking ports, railways and industrial parks, positioning southern Mexico as a key corridor for trade between Asia and the U.S. East Coast. The project includes 12 Development Poles for Well-Being targeting industries ranging from electronics and automotive manufacturing to medical devices, agroindustry, petrochemicals and logistics.

Several of these poles have already been awarded through international bidding processes, while others remain under development or pending bids, according to federal authorities. Additional projects, including hubs in Tapachula and Teapa, Tabasco, are expected to enter bidding or land acquisition phases in the coming months.

As the federal government pushes forward with its national development strategy, business leaders say the experience in Puerto Chiapas underscores the importance of clear rules, incentives and efficient processes if PODEBIS projects are to deliver on their promise of regional growth and long-term competitiveness, MBN reported. 

These are:

• Coatzacoalcos I (257.70ha) and II (131.82ha), Salina Cruz (82.09ha): Awarded to Desarrolladora Multimodal del Istmo, Mota-Engil, Grupo INDI, Carso, and ICA.

• Asuncion Ixtaltepec (Chivela) (234.12ha): Managed by MARZAL.

• Texistepec (467.85ha), San Juan Evangelista (360.25ha), Matias Romero (185ha), Santa 

• Maria Mixtequilla (502.42ha): Concessioned to Proistmo.

• Ciudad Ixtepec (412.54ha): Awarded to Helax Istmo Holdco.

• San Blas Atempa: With 331.53ha, its bidding process closed on Feb. 24, 2024.

• Tapachula I (268.72ha) and Tapachula II (149.71ha): Upcoming bidding process.

• Teapa, Tabasco (100ha): Land donation process underway.