Posted on October 7, 2026
Mexico awarded Mexicana de Dragados the construction dredging and the formation of the 40ha north platform of the port of Progreso in Yucatán, for 1.080,5 billion (bn) pesos (US$59.4 million (mn)) excluding VAT, and work could begin on October 12.
The National Port System Administration (Asipona) Progreso issued the decision at the end of September, in the repetition of a tender that was declared void in July. Mexicana de Dragados, linked to the Belgian group Jan De Nul, was the only one of the four bidders whose technical proposal was deemed compliant, according to the record.
Technical evaluation
To avoid being rejected, the technical proposals had to obtain at least 37.5 out of 50 points. Mexicana de Dragados scored 40 technical points and 50 economic points, for a total of 90. In addition, its bid was the lowest amount in the tender.
The Boskalis Marine Contracting and Offshore Services–Dragamex consortium obtained 30.95 technical points, with a bid of 1.227,6 billion pesos (US$67.5mn). Dredging International México reached 33.18 points with 1.530,8 billion pesos (US$84.2mn), and Construcciones Hidropac, 20.09 points with 2.216,6 billion pesos (US$121.9mn). The three proposals were rejected for not reaching the minimum.
Dredging International México received the highest rating in experience and specialization, with 15 points. However, it only obtained 4 out of 15 in quality of the work.
Contract and deadlines
According to the minutes, the contract must be signed on October 6 or, at the latest, within 15 calendar days following notification of the decision. The project has a duration of 290 calendar days, from October 12, 2026 to July 28, 2027.
The company must provide a performance bond of 216.1mn pesos (US$11.9mn), equivalent to 20% of the contract. It must also provide advance payment bonds of 150mn pesos (US$8.2mn) for 2026 and 38mn pesos (US$2.1mn) for 2027. In addition, it must provide civil liability and environmental compliance guarantees of 108.1mn pesos (US$5.9mn) each.
Second attempt
In the previous tender, Asipona rejected the four proposals due to technical or financial non-compliance. In that process, the bids ranged from 897.96 million pesos (US$49.4mn) to 1,394.32 million pesos (US$76.7mn). In the new bidding round, Mexicana de Dragados raised its bid by 20.3%.
The scope also increased. The new call includes dredging 3.08 million m³ in five areas, compared to the 1.41 million m³ in the original tender.
Port expansion
The expansion of the port of Progreso is estimated at 7.225bn pesos (US$397.2mn). It includes two 40ha platforms, which will increase the operational area from 34ha to 114ha. It also entails widening the navigation channel from 150m to 180m and deepening it to 13.30m.
Progreso is one of the six priority ports in the federal port modernization plan, along with Ensenada, Manzanillo-Cuyutlán, Lázaro Cárdenas, Acapulco and Veracruz. In addition, APM Terminals Yucatán is carrying out a modernization plan over 19 years for 3bn pesos (US$164.9mn) at the port’s only container terminal.
