Port of Mayagüez to get $200M rehab over 30 months
The revamp includes demolishing the old tuna canning structures and the rehabilitating 1,360 feet of dock.
The Port of Mayagüez, once a busy point of entry on Puerto Rico’s western coast, will undergo a $200 million renovation over the next 30 months, funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), including $24.9 million allocated for mitigation measures.
During a news conference, Gov. Pedro Pierluisi said the Mayagüez Waterfront project is “key to revitalizing the critical infrastructure of the island’s western region and strengthening its role as an economic and commercial center.”
“We’re back here in the municipality of Mayagüez to continue advancing the revitalization of its dock, a symbol that represents the economic and commercial progress of our island, especially for the western part of Puerto Rico,” said Pierluisi.
“This is the largest project that has been developed in this region in recent years and will make the Port of Mayagüez the third largest port in Puerto Rico, after San Juan and Ponce. In fact, this project is the largest carried out by the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company in its history,” Pierluisi added.
The renovation includes demolishing the old tuna canning structures and rehabilitating 1,360 feet of dock. CSA Architects & Engineers and 3MG will oversee project management and design, while Toledo Engineering will manage the demolition of the initial structures at a cost of $3.4 million, covered by state funds.
“The demolition of the buildings at the Port of Mayagüez and the restoration of the infrastructure, followed by the repair of the dock and the removal of the sunken barge, will be the beginning of what will undoubtedly become a world-class dock, accommodating cruise lines as well as a major light-haul” cargo, said Manuel Cidre, secretary of the Department of Economic Development and Commerce.
The project will also include an entertainment venue, creating jobs during construction and revitalizing commerce in the region, Cidre said.
He added that the port’s modernization will be crucial for the “growth and competitiveness of local industries and commercial activity in western Puerto Rico through the import and export of goods, which will open the doors to new markets and economic development.”
