Posted on September 25, 2026
Four bidders submitted proposals in the repeat tender for construction dredging of the 40ha north platform at the Mexican port of Progreso in Yucatán. The work is part of an expansion that will increase the port’s operational area from 34ha to 114ha.
The bids range from 1.080,54 billion pesos (US$62.5 million (mn)) to 2.216,65 billion pesos (US$128.1mn), excluding VAT. The National Port System Administration (Asipona) Progreso relaunched the tender after declaring it void in July. The decision is scheduled for September 29, according to the minutes of submission and opening of bids.
The proposals
The lowest bid was submitted by Mexicana de Dragados, for 1.080,54 million pesos. It was followed by the joint proposal from Boskalis Marine Contracting and Offshore Services and Dragamex, with 1.227,65 million pesos (US$71 million).
Dredging International México bid 1.530,76 millones (US$88.5mn). Construcciones Hidropac submitted the highest proposal, for 2.216,65 millones, more than double the lowest one.
Pending documentation
In the quantitative review of documents, the report recorded missing items in all four proposals. The Boskalis-Dragamex consortium failed to include the list of basic unit costs of the materials. Mexicana de Dragados failed to include a legible copy of the proposed superintendent’s professional license.
Construcciones Hidropac did not submit the appointments of the environmental supervisor or the safety supervisor. Dredging International México did not deliver the records certifying its share capital and its contributions for future capital increases, nor the analysis of the basic unit costs of the materials.
Asipona clarified that the qualitative and detailed evaluation of the proposals will be carried out after the event. It will be in the decision when it is indicated whether any are discarded for non-compliance. The Academy of Engineering is participating as a social witness, appointed by the Secretariat of Anti-Corruption and Good Governance.
Tender declared void
The previous tender, LO-13-J2U-013J2U002-N-5-2026, was declared void in July, after Asipona rejected the four bids due to technical or financial non-compliance. In that process, the bids ranged from 897,96 million to 1.394,32 million pesos, excluding VAT.
Three of those participants bid again with higher amounts. Mexicana de Dragados raised its offer by 20.3%, Boskalis-Dragamex by 35%, and Dredging International México by 49.9%. Van Oord México did not participate this time, and Construcciones Hidropac joined the process.
The scope of the tender also grew. The new call provides for dredging 3.08 million m³ in five areas, compared to 1.41 million m³ in the previous tender. The term is 290 calendar days, from October 12, 2026 to July 28, 2027.
By 2026, the call allocates 862.1mn pesos (US$49.8mn) from the Fidemar trust. The rest of the contract amount will be paid in 2027.
Previous phases
The document places this dredging within the first stage of the project. However, the governor of Yucatán, Joaquín Díaz, described it as the third phase of the expansion, under the responsibility of the Ministry of the Navy (Semar), according to El Universal on June 20.
That day, Díaz presided over the close of the first phase, which had a state public investment of 1.63 billion (bn) pesos (US$94.2mn). The dredger Fernando de Magallanes removed more than 1.41 million m³ from the navigation channel, according to the same newspaper.
With that work, the depth of the canal went from 11.75m to 13.30m and the width from 150m to 180m. The length increased from 7.4km to 8.1km, according to El Universal.
The second phase is being handled by the private company SSA Marine México, with an investment of 948mn pesos (US$54.8mn). The funds are intended to improve the cruise terminal, carry out new dredging works and allow the arrival of larger ships, the newspaper reported.
The CEO of SSA Marine México, Manuel Fernández, explained that this phase includes dredging to bring the channel to a depth of 13.3m and lengthen the berth from 332m to 450m. This would allow the 365m-long cruise ship Icon of the Seas to dock, and the port would go from 450,000 to more than one million passengers per year.
Asipona reported on August 2 that dredging in the second phase totals 707,000m³, with work from June to August. With the material extracted, filling began on the first 40ha platform, according to the agency’s statement.
Port expansion
The expansion of Progreso is estimated at 7.225bn pesos (US$417.6mn). It includes two 40ha platforms, with which the operational area will increase from 34ha to 114ha.
In parallel, APM Terminals Yucatán, the port’s only container terminal, is carrying out a modernization plan over 19 years for 3.000mn pesos (US$173.4mn). The company commissioned Konecranes to supply two electric mobile cranes, scheduled for delivery by the end of September. It also added its first electric reach stacker and five tractor trucks, and handled 41,442 TEU in the first half of 2026.
Progreso is one of the six priority ports in the federal port modernization plan, along with Ensenada, Manzanillo-Cuyutlán, Lázaro Cárdenas, Acapulco and Veracruz.
