Port system will operate the Lázaro Cárdenas airport

The government of Michoacán handed over the operations of the Lázaro Cárdenas National Airport to the Administration of the National Port System (Asipona), the loan is for a period of 25 years and includes an investment of 120 million pesos to convert it into one of the air centers most important in the Western region.

According to Governor Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla, the delivery on loan was made on October 24 and is part of Michoacán’s logistics plan, to make it a benchmark in the sector internationally. The project involves the Port of Lázaro Cárdenas have different transport and connectivity systems, from the sea, rail and now air; The goal is for it to be the most competitive region in terms of cargo and movement of merchandise, as well as personnel.

Necessary works

Regarding the conditions to deliver the airport to the Asipona Lázaro Cardenas, the investment is around 120 million pesos, capital that must be implemented immediately to install new radar systems, as well as improve the runways, establish lighting systems and guarantee security. 100 percent of the airport. “The runway is going to be modernized and the night lighting system is going to be introduced. What is going to allow receiving night flights, all this is going to give the airport a much higher level of security, ”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 commercial and logistical airport needs. Furthermore, it is not the first time that It carries out a movement of this type, where an air terminal is under the control of a seaport, since there are different cases at the international level, he said.

Since the Covid-19 pandemic was declared, the airport suspended its commercial flight operations for two years and only kept its runway open to charter arrivals. The Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation was the one that granted the state government the authorization to operate the airport, only commercial flights were authorized, ruling out cargo flights.

Meeting

Last Wednesday, November 9, the head of the Michoacán Economic Development Secretariat (Sedeco), Claudio Méndez Fernández, met with Asipona Lázaro Cárdenas to present the work axes that will be addressed in the coming years. The head revealed that For the fiscal year of 2023, Sedeco seeks to achieve a 30% increase in its budget compared to 2022, to operate resources above 230 million. If that amount is achieved, he explained, the expectation is that 80% of this increase will be destined to the promotion and attraction of investments, where Lázaro Cárdenas is as the pole of development of the entire Pacific zone of the country.

estados@eleconomista.mx