In a year-end marked by structural adjustments in the public sector, the Mexican Navy (Semar) took a step that completely reconfigures the country’s maritime and port governance. The afternoon edition of the Official Gazette of the Federation on December 11 published the new Internal Regulations of the Navy, which create the Undersecretariat of Maritime and Port Affairs , a high-level body that—under the command of an admiral—will centralize the management of the National Maritime Authority and the strategic definition of the Mexican port system.
The new design goes beyond administrative restructuring: it consolidates maritime security, port protection, the Merchant Marine, port development, and intergovernmental coordination under a single command structure. Its responsibilities include developing official Mexican standards for marine safety, security, and the environment; defining policies for water transport; coordinating with international organizations and federal agencies; and proposing legal and regulatory reforms to align the regulatory framework with global standards. The Undersecretariat will also determine the jurisdiction and classification of Port Captaincies and will play a direct role in overseeing state-owned enterprises in the sector.
To carry out this wide range of responsibilities, the Undersecretariat will rely on two key administrative units: the National Maritime Authority Unit and the Ports and Merchant Marine Unit , both reorganized with new powers and internal directions.
National Maritime Authority Unit: the operational arm of the maritime authority
The National Maritime Authority Unit —formerly the Port Captaincies and Maritime Affairs Unit, or Unicapam—will be responsible for the daily operations of the Mexican State as the National Maritime Authority. It will manage maritime and port security and protection; safeguard human life at sea; implement international standards; prevent pollution; investigate maritime accidents; conduct fisheries inspections; and manage the Single Digital Window.
This unit will manage the Port Captaincies and will have an active role in audits by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) , search and rescue, and supervision of master port development programs in the area of safety and security.
To perform these functions, it will have three attached general directorates
- General Directorate of Port Captaincies.
- General Directorate of Maritime Protection and Certification.
- General Directorate of Liaison and Maritime Affairs.
These areas will provide technical and operational support for the surveillance, supervision, certification, inspection, and regulatory coordination required for the modernization of the Mexican maritime system.
Ports and Merchant Marine Unit: public policy, port development and sector regulation
The second revamped structure is the Ports and Merchant Marine Unit —formerly the General Coordination of Ports and Merchant Marine (CGPMM)—which will be responsible for leading public policy for the development of the port and merchant marine sector. It will have the authority to coordinate permits and authorizations; enable ports and terminals; regulate maritime services; administer the National Maritime Public Registry; and oversee infrastructure, tariffs, and specialized services such as towing and launch services.
The unit will also promote sustainability strategies, strengthening of cabotage, interaction of the National Port System with other modes of transport and nautical educational training, including the signing of professional titles for graduating personnel.
Its operational structure will consist of three general directorates:
- General Directorate of Ports.
- General Directorate of Merchant Marine.
- General Directorate of Port Development and Administration.
Each of these departments is key to coordinating the strategic planning of the National Port System , updating regulations, supporting the Merchant Marine, and overseeing state-owned port companies. The head of this unit must be a Captain or Chief Engineer of the Mexican Merchant Marine, reinforcing the technical nature of the position.
A redesign without a budget increase… and still no headlines
The decree will come into effect on December 12, and according to the transitional articles, the Navy does not foresee a budget increase to carry out this restructuring , which raises operational questions in a sector that demands high technical specialization and growing international responsibilities.
At the time of publication, the agency had not yet announced the individuals who will head the new Undersecretariat or those who will lead the attached administrative units. Their appointments will be crucial in shaping the course of this institutional transformation, which redefines how Mexico will exercise its maritime authority, manage its port system, and coordinate its Merchant Marine in the face of the sector’s global challenges.
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