It appears that Ensenada’s trove of quality waves is safe for now. Photo: Nacho Felix//Save the Waves
More than a year after the Mexican government revealed ambitious plans to expand Ensenada’s ports – a move that threatened to destroy several iconic surf breaks – President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed they’ve abandoned the project.
In a press conference on February 2, Sheinbaum stated that due to various problems, the administration will no longer move forward with the expansion. Instead, the government will pivot toward minor upgrades for the city’s cruise terminal and fishing port.
The tension began in December 2024 when the Mexican government announced a USD $267 million project to expand six national ports. The Ensenada proposal included a mile-long breakwater designed to accommodate container ships at the currently modest El Sauzal port. This construction would have directly destroyed several spots, including Tres Emes. Experts also warned that San Miguel, a famed right-hand point, faced indirect threats from altered currents and disrupted sand flow.
Local surfers and environmentalists protested the project, specifically targeting the lack of transparency regarding environmental impact studies. While Sheinbaum initially declared a pause on the plans in September, this latest announcement provides the more concrete assurance locals were waiting for. The project, originally slated to begin in 2025 and finish in 2028, is now off the table.
Ensenada Digna, a coalition of 51 local organizations that opposed the project, celebrated the news on social media.
“This decision demonstrates that Ensenada’s actual conditions matter when evaluating large-scale projects,” the group wrote. “Community participation does matter. When the community is informed, organized, and involved, things can change.”
Despite the win, some activists remain wary. Beatriz Ibarra, a local environmentalist, expressed concerns to The Inertia regarding the smaller upgrades to the El Sauzal fishing port, noting they could still impact the nearby surf spot Stacks. She also noted that the project could resurface. A similar proposal was defeated in 2010, only to resurface in 2024.
“For now, we are calling it a victory,” said Ibarra. “I think they won’t be able to build this port during this presidential term, so for now, we did it. We saved (the coast). We are studying which legal framework best suits us and building alliances to protect the bay so that this doesn’t happen to us again.”
