Mexico’s Secretariat of the Navy (SEMAR) has officially prohibited deep-sea vessels from entering the port of Loreto, Baja California Sur, effective May 24, 2026. Nautical notice 005/2026 bars all “altura” (deep-sea) category ships from calling at the small coastal town, ending weeks of uncertainty after a federal decree had briefly reclassified the port to allow international maritime traffic.
Federal Decree Sparked Weeks of Protests
The conflict began on April 10, 2026, when a presidential decree published in the Diario Oficial de la Federación reclassified Loreto from a domestic cabotage port to a “puerto de altura y cabotaje.” That upgrade would have allowed international vessels, including cruise ships carrying more than 5,000 passengers, to dock legally in a town of roughly 20,000 people.
The reclassification triggered immediate opposition. For more than a month, citizen collectives, tourism operators, and local residents staged protests. They argued that Loreto’s infrastructure and marine environment could not handle large-scale commercial shipping. The port sits at the gateway to Loreto Bay National Park, a protected natural area for three decades and a UNESCO World Heritage Site for over 20 years.
Governor Requested Full Repeal
On May 21, Baja California Sur Governor Víctor Manuel Castro agreed to formally request President Claudia Sheinbaum to repeal the decree. Castro and Loreto Mayor Paz Ochoa signed a petition that cited the town’s designation as a Pueblo Mágico, a federal program that promotes low-impact, community-oriented tourism. SEMAR had initially sought to negotiate modifications rather than a full cancellation, but Loreto residents refused any compromise.
Environmental concerns were central to the community’s case. The SEMAR notice specifically cites NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010, Mexico’s environmental protection standard for threatened and endangered species. Loreto Bay is a critical habitat for blue whales, and activists warned that cruise pier construction would alter marine currents, shift sand patterns, and increase flood risk for inhabited areas of town.
What This Means for Loreto
With the Navy’s order now in effect, Loreto reverts to cabotage-only status. Domestic vessels, small tour boats, and private craft can continue operating normally. The ban on deep-sea vessels will remain in place while the formal abrogation of the original decree is published in the Diario Oficial de la Federación.
For boaters already in the area, the change does not affect standard port clearance procedures for recreational or cabotage traffic. The restriction targets only large commercial and international vessels that would have required the altura designation to enter.
This story was first reported by BCS Noticias.