Groundbreaking Ceremony Held in Dangriga, Commerce Bight Port Reopens

Belize is set to welcome a new port following a groundbreaking ceremony held on Friday, August 9, at the Commerce Bight Port. The project has been contentious since 2020, when the previous administration awarded Recological Services Limited a 25-year management contract, which the Briceño administration later cancelled.

Despite delays, the Briceño administration proposed transforming the site into a tourism hub. Investors, including Basilio Zabaneh, are expected to invest approximately sixty million dollars in the redevelopment of Commerce Bight Port. 

At the ceremony, PM Briceño recalled, “I remember way back as early as probably as 2006, that the PUP, we made  a commitment  to Dangriga and to the people in the south that we are going to reopen Commerce Bight. Fast forward to today, as you know in December of last year we had to buy over the port of Belize, because no investments were being done.” 

The port’s reopening is expected to create significant employment opportunities, with over 100 workers planned for the three-year construction phase and more than 60 full-time positions once it is completed. “We look forward to this project moving forward. All of us have collaborated on making this a reality. Certainly this will have a huge impact in terms of employment, in terms of quality of life,” stated Zabaneh. 

“I believe that Belize is one of the few countries around the world, that we don’t monetize our waterways and seafront,” said Minister Anthony Mahler at the ceremony. “Commerce Bight was once the epicenter of commerce in this entire area, for agriculture, logging, cargo. Now, it is transitioning to what we are catering for these days. It’s transitioning to nautical tourism, which I strong believe, it is a sector of the tourism industry that we haven’t fully developed as yet,” he added. 

The port will accommodate large vessels and cruise ships, aiming to enhance tourism, improve accessibility, and boost economic activity in southern Belize.