The major project to renovate and expand Puerto Vallarta's Marina Terminal where the huge cruise ships dock is now in its final phase and just three months from completion, the final tally in U.S. dollars expected to be about $25 million. Some 77% of the work has been completed, one dock being expanded and another created, for a total of three that will be able to easily host major ocean liners in this desirable port.

The number of cruise ship arrivals here over the past decade has increased 233%, and 13.4% in this past year alone, says Astrid Castaneda Ruiz, marketing manager of Puerto Vallarta's port administration (API). It is expected that this project, which will extend the terminal's usefulness for 50 more years, will pay for itself within the next eight. A recent arrival on site is a large barge-like dredging apparatus, which uses specialized equipment capable of removing seven cubic meters of soil with each scoop — roughly equivalent to the weight of a city bus! You will find an in-depth article about this project under Read/Tours and Activities on this website.