National Port System will operate Lázaro Cárdenas airport for 25 years

As of yesterday, October 24, by loan, the Administration of the National Port System (Asipona) Lázaro Cárdenas will take charge of the operations of the local airport, a loan that will last for a period of 25 years and an immediate investment of 120 million pesos to turn it into one of the most important air centers in the Western region.

In a conference, Governor Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla reported that the decision is due to a series of aspects such as the current goal of making Michoacán a benchmark for the logistics sector through the comprehensive infrastructure plan for the development of the Port of Lázaro Cárdenas (which started in 2021 and is based on cabotage); also, because during the pandemic the air terminal lost its commercial flights and its infrastructure needs to be improved to improve its competitiveness in the logistics sector.

“The airport requires constant investment, we need to recover the air connectivity of Lázaro Cárdenas, we need to recover commercial flights, whether from Mexico, from Monterrey, to this great port, and an investment is required,” he deepened.

Since the Covid-19 pandemic was declared, the Lázaro Cárdenas National Airport suspended its commercial flight operations for two years, and only kept its runway open to charter arrivals.

“Aeromar flew, now we no longer have a commercial flight to Lázaro Cárdenas and it is urgent to recover the commercial flight as we recover the Morelia-Cancún, Morelia-Mexico City flight, it is being seen that there are more Monterrey-Morelia flights. Today the airport will have a better destination and more resources by being managed by the port,” he said.

Ramírez Bedolla assured that it is not the first time that a movement of this type has been carried out, where an air terminal remains under the control of a seaport, since there are different cases at the international level; In addition, greater competitiveness is allowed, as well as coordination in a context where it is intended to consolidate a logistics vocation.

Investment for improvements

On the conditions to deliver the airport to Asipona, the president specified that the investment of 120 million pesos must be made immediately and should be oriented to have the new radar systems that airlines require, as well as improve the runways, establish lighting systems and guarantee 100 percent airport security.

“There are no night flights in Lázaro Cárdenas because the runway does not have lighting; then, the track will be modernized and the night lighting system will be introduced. What will allow receiving night flights, all this will give the airport a much higher level of security. Some airlines currently do not fly to Lázaro Cárdenas because their insurance does not allow them to land on runways of this type, ”he stressed.

One of the points that was taken into account for this change of administration, he considered, is that currently the state government does not have the financial capacity to achieve the reconversion of the new airport commercial and logistics needs.

“This bailment is delivered to the Port of Lázaro Cárdenas, which apart from that has guaranteed the resources to invest it and to keep it in optimal conditions. Resources that we don’t have,” he acknowledged.

The Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation granted the state government, through the local Ministry of Communications and Public Works and its Michoacán Airports Administration Department, the authorization to operate the Lázaro Cárdenas National Airport.

Before the loan with Asipona, the airport had only operated for commercial and private flights; it was never authorized as an air cargo terminal.

Detonation

Ramírez Bedolla reported that this movement is also in tune with the plan to detonate the logistics sector throughout the state and especially with taking advantage of nearshoring and the implementation of the T-MEC, since it is sought that the airport be one of the most competitive in loading and transfer of merchandise, similar to what is seen in states like Jalisco.

“Marcelo Ebrard told us about the great opportunity we have due to relocation, that there are several industries based on commercial rules that will necessarily have to settle in Mexico, and that Michoacán is prepared and has the conditions to attract these investments,” he commented. .

The next phase of the plan will be to channel logistics and industrial investments for Morelia, as well as on the Island of La Palma in Lázaro Cárdenas; Work would be done with the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit (SHCP) so that the fiscal resources generated by the port are invested.

“Also the issue of taking advantage of the island of La Palma, there is an offer with some companies from the Bajío that manage industrial parks. Last year the port sent more than 700 million pesos to the SHCP and that was a year in a pandemic. So, it is better that the profits from the port are reinvested in the airport, in the infrastructure of the city”, he stressed.

He explained that in the Michoacán capital it is intended that plants dedicated to the manufacture of semiconductors and chips arrive.

estados@eleconomista.mx