By Rebecca Conan -
Mexico's environment ministry, Semarnat, has approved the environmental impact assessment (EIA) for expansion of Veracruz port, clearing the way for the project to be tendered, according to a release from Semarnat.
The 25bn peso (US$1.92bn) project will initially involve the construction of a 2,800m dock with up to eight 350m berths to the north of the existing port. First phase construction will increase capacity by 250mn TEUs. Second phase development will consist of the construction of a new breakwater and up to 35 additional berths.
Expansion of the Veracruz port will be one of the largest infrastructure projects to be carried out during Enrique Peña Nieto's administration.
In order to make way for the port expansion, the previous administration excluded some 1,191ha of reef from the protected area in the Vergara bay and Punta Gorda.
This decision was challenged by a group of environmentalists and academics and so Semarnat's review of the EIA was put on hold.
Semarnat's approval of the project is subject to a series of conditions including the creation of an environmental monitoring program and inter-governmental committee to oversee its compliance. Am integrated sanitation program for the Vergara bay must also be developed.
The transport and communications ministry (SCT) also confirmed that it will ensure the construction of a wastewater treatment plant to prevent vessels from contaminating the water, implement biological monitoring and use cutting-edge dredging equipment to minimize sediment dispersion.
The 25bn peso (US$1.92bn) project will initially involve the construction of a 2,800m dock with up to eight 350m berths to the north of the existing port. First phase construction will increase capacity by 250mn TEUs. Second phase development will consist of the construction of a new breakwater and up to 35 additional berths.
Expansion of the Veracruz port will be one of the largest infrastructure projects to be carried out during Enrique Peña Nieto's administration.
In order to make way for the port expansion, the previous administration excluded some 1,191ha of reef from the protected area in the Vergara bay and Punta Gorda.
This decision was challenged by a group of environmentalists and academics and so Semarnat's review of the EIA was put on hold.
Semarnat's approval of the project is subject to a series of conditions including the creation of an environmental monitoring program and inter-governmental committee to oversee its compliance. Am integrated sanitation program for the Vergara bay must also be developed.
The transport and communications ministry (SCT) also confirmed that it will ensure the construction of a wastewater treatment plant to prevent vessels from contaminating the water, implement biological monitoring and use cutting-edge dredging equipment to minimize sediment dispersion.
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