The Navy extends the concession of the port of Ensenada for fifty years

The Secretariat of the Navy has granted a 50-year extension to the Concession Title for the Comprehensive Port Administration of the Port of Ensenada, in favor of the Administración del Sistema Portuario Nacional Ensenada, S.A. de C.V. The decision is published in the Official Gazette of the Federation number 240/2026, dated this Thursday, September 3, 2026, and was signed in Mexico City on August 3, 2026.

The instrument, registered under reference R.- 579959, is signed on behalf of the Secretariat by its head, Admiral Raymundo Pedro Morales Ángeles, and on behalf of the concessionaire by its general director, Retired Admiral Luis Javier Robinson Portillo Villanueva.

Background of the concession

The original comprehensive concession was granted on June 30, 1994, by the then Secretariat of Communications and Transportation and published in the Official Gazette of the Federation on September 26, 1994, for the use, enjoyment, and exploitation of the public domain assets that make up the Port Area of Ensenada, in Baja California.

Since then, the title has been subject to successive modifications and addenda that incorporated new areas and adjusted its surface area:

• Port of El Sauzal, incorporated in 2007.
• Port of Costa Azul, incorporated in 2008.
• Rosarito Port Area, with 23,765,159.541 m², incorporated in 2025.
• Ensenada Area, with a total surface area of 3,368,858.35 m².

In December 2020, a decree published on December 7, 2020, transferred to the Secretariat of the Navy the port-related powers that corresponded to the Secretariat of Communications and Transportation, including the authority to grant concessions and permits in port areas.

The request and technical reports

The extension responds to the request submitted by the concessionaire via official letter DG-1703-25 dated July 11, 2025, in order to maintain the concession for a term of fifty years. The company argued that it provides all of its services through private initiative and operates with its own profits and resources, achieving financial self-sufficiency.

The process was supported by favorable reports from four directorates of the General Directorate of Ports:

• Directorate of Compliance and Litigation Affairs, official letter DGP/DCAC/339/2025.
• Directorate of Port Development, official letter DEDOP.DDP.-477/2026.
• Directorate of Operation and Technical Feasibility, official letter DGP.DEDOP.DOFT.-111.2026.
• Directorate of Financial Analysis, Tariffs, and Statistics, official letter DGP.DEDOP.DAFTE.-237/2026.

Validity and obligations

With the extension, the thirty-fifth condition of the concession is modified: the new term begins on July 1, 2044, and extends until July 1, 2094. The concessionaire must comply with international agreements regarding maritime safety and port protection, including the SOLAS Convention, the MARPOL Convention, and the ISPS Code.

The instrument must be published in the Official Gazette of the Federation at the concessionaire’s expense within a maximum period of 90 calendar days, and registered in the Federal Public Registry of Property. Within the same period, the company must formulate the modifications required for its Port Development Master Plan and its Operating Rules.

Relevance for the region

The extension ensures the continuity of operations for one of the strategic ports on the Mexican Pacific coast, key for logistics and trade in Baja California and for the connection with Asian and North American markets. The term until 2094 provides long-term legal certainty for port investment and the services provided in the precincts of Ensenada, El Sauzal, Costa Azul, and Rosarito.

Source: Official Gazette of the Federation, no. 240/2026, September 3, 2026, Executive Branch section, pp. 21-25 (official reference: R.- 579959).