The General Coordination of Ports and Merchant Marine (CGPMM) of the Ministry of Communications and Transportation has implemented several institutional actions, based on the premise of granting facilities to ships that intend to arrive at our ports, as well as the disembarkation of passengers and crew members, complying with the corresponding protocols in sanitary matters, in accordance with the guidelines of the Ministry of Health and the recommendations of the World Health Organization, in order to maintain the maritime transportation system in operation.

The Integral Port Administrations (API) apply the corresponding Prevention and Control Measures in maritime ports for the detection of suspected cases of COVID-19, a standardized guideline designed by the General Directorate of Epidemiology of the Ministry of Health.

They also work closely with International Health, which depends on the Ministry of Health, acting in coordination with the State Health Services of the state in question, to authorize the "libre plática", an act that determines that there is no impediment, for health reasons, for the vessel, passengers and crew members to be received at the ports and be able to disembark.

In communication with the Port Captaincy and Maritime Affairs Unit of the Ministry of the Navy, which is responsible for authorizing the arrival of vessels at ports, tourist cruise ships that have stopped operating on their service routes have been allowed to stay in the anchorage and docking areas and to facilitate their resupply of supplies on their way back to their ports of origin and, when required, the necessary support has been provided for the disembarkation of passengers.

To provide information on prevention measures to employees, customers, crew and passengers, APIs and Cruise Terminal Operators disseminate "Travelers Point of Departure" and "Travelers Point of Arrival" posters.

Cargo ships are operated with about 25 crew members, since they only transport goods, thus reducing the universe of possible infected persons that could enter our country.

An average of 9,800 cargo ships of all types arrive annually at our ports: oil tankers, gas tankers, container ships, general cargo ships, ore carriers, bulk carriers, among others.

In contrast to cargo ships, tourist cruise ships are operated by approximately 1,500 crew members and can carry up to 4,000 passengers. There have been no cancellations of this type of vessel by the shipping lines.

The CGPMM, in the exercise of the powers granted to it by the Maritime Navigation and Commerce and Port Laws, as well as in the framework of the international agreements on the matter, joins efforts to contain the adverse effects derived from this pandemic and thus reduce the risk of contagion and propagation of said disease in our country.