Marina Chiapas to Handle Yatista Paperwork
When Marina Chiapas is inaugurated in November, it will focus on providing easy international arrivals and exits.
Puerto Chiapas, formerly called Puerto Madero, is 14 miles north of the Mexico-Guatemala border, so this new full-service marina will be the southernmost recreational boating facility on Mexico’s Pacific coast and a nautical gateway between Mexico and the small countries of Central America.
“We already have the dry storage yard and interior roads,” said Enrique Laclette, the project manager at Marina Chiapas. He said the new marina basin has been dredged to 15 feet at low tides, and the three large docks hold 63 full-service slips. Most of the slips are in the 40 and 60 foot ranges, but the marina has built eight slips to 70 feet, one for 90-footers and one 140-foot end tie.
Laclette formerly was the dockmaster at Marina Chahue in Huatulco, and he is well respected in the cruising community for his accurate weather forecasts that were broadcast specifically for yatistas awaiting a safe window to cross the blustery Gulf of Tehuantepec.
Puerto Chiapas lies at the southeast or opposite end of the Gulf of Tehuantepec, where Laclette was hired away from Huatulco to help build this new private Marina Chiapas.
“All the paperwork will be done on site,” said Laclette. “Boaters will tie up to the cleats in the marina and wait for the authorities to come to them” to handle the international arrival or exit.
Until this improvement is inaugurated this fall, yacht owners and their crew seeking Mexico entrance or exit will still have to begin the port clearance process in Puerto Chiapas, then travel 30 miles round trip by taxi or bus to the city of Tapachula, track down immigration authorities in an office at the Tapachula airport, then complete the process back in Puerto Chiapas.
Laclette said the new Marina Chiapas port clearance will be “the easiest paperwork ever.”
A new floating fuel dock for yachts is being built within the marina basin, and when it opens this fall, up to 2,000 gallons of diesel will be available by tank truck. This will eliminate the need for yachts to come alongside the port’s high commercial fuel dock, which is a rough concrete non-floating pier.
The marina’s concrete dry-storage yard should be handy for yachts summering over on the hard just south of the hurricane formation zones.
Laclette is planning a big inauguration party for Marina Chiapas this fall. The marina’s new website should be up and running this summer. Stay tuned to The Log for more details.
