December 7, 2009

Cancun Beach Recovery Update

Cancun – known for the majestic beauty of its shoreline-, has successfully begun the beach recovery project with an investment of more than USD $71 million dollars ($957 million pesos), throughout the state of Quintana Roo. The project began on September 4th, 2009 with the delivery of more than two thousand tons of pipeline material to Cancun; the project will deliver 1.3 billion gallons (6.1 million cubic meters) of sand to replenish Cancun’s Hotel Zone seashore.

Although the project has endured some unforeseen delays, due to weather conditions, the venture resumed on November 15th and continues with great advancement, already creating a very noticeable difference.

As of December 1st, 2009, more than 227,020 gallons (1’191,550 cubic meters) had been poured onto 1.28 miles (2,047 meters) of Cancun’s beaches. This represents a 23% advance for the whole project.

The safety of tourists and workers has always been and remains a top priority. Hoteliers, contractors and CFE (Comisión Federal de Electricidad, Federal Commission of Electricity) supervisors are taking the necessary measures to guarantee the safety of all tourists during the beach recovery process, making sure all equipment is maintained in optimal working conditions to avoid any unnecessary incidents.

The project is funded by both federal and state governments. Local participating municipalities and private investments will reinstate approximately 6.9 miles (11.1 kilometers) of Cancun’s coastline between Punta Cancun and Punta Nizuc, creating a spectacular beach oasis with more than 131 feet (40 meters) in width.

A team of researchers studied a range of factors prior to the restoration initiation, such as the variety of cycles within climates that would provide the ideal moment to begin revitalizing the beautiful beaches of the state. The projects’ main purpose is not only to replenish the sand, but to provide a long-term environmentally conscious result, said the project’s Chief Engineer, Carlos Espinal. He explained that the sand that will be dispensed onto the beach has many unique characteristics: it remains cool and doesn’t get hot with the sun; it has a high density that is compatible with the current sand, and as a result would have a low volume loss in case of a meteorological event.
The beach recovery project is set to be completed on February 10th, 2010.