New port fees take effect at the Cabo San Lucas marina on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, and the people who run the boat tours, fishing charters and water taxis are not happy about it. The fees were authorized by Mexico’s Navy Ministry (SEMAR) and published in the Diario Oficial de la Federación, the federal government’s official gazette, on October 1. They are charged by ASIPONA Cabo San Lucas, the federal company that runs the port.

What changes

The new schedule covers docking, mooring, the boat ramp and, the part most visitors will notice, a fee for every passenger who boards or leaves a boat. According to the official document:

  • Passengers on smaller boats (tours, charters, water taxis): 38.79 pesos per passenger to board or disembark. Peninsular Digital reports this dock fee was 15 pesos before.
  • Cruise ship passengers: 74.69 pesos per passenger to disembark or board.
  • Boat ramp: 215.52 pesos per use. Peninsular Digital says the old fee was 30 pesos.

The fees don’t include IVA, Mexico’s sales tax. They are charged to the boat owner or operator, not to you directly, and the document describes them as maximum rates, so ASIPONA can offer discounts. Whether tour companies pass the cost on to their customers is up to each one.

Why the marina is protesting

Tour operators, sportfishing crews and marina businesses have marched twice this week, once during the Bisbee’s Black & Blue tournament and again on Friday, October 23, when about 60 people walked along the marina to the tournament scale, according to Peninsular Digital. They say the new fees were set without consulting them, that some services go up between 200% and 500%, and that the marina still lacks decent restrooms, parking and maintenance. As of Friday, Tribuna de México reported that ASIPONA had not given them a formal answer.

Protest leaders told Peninsular Digital they may block the access roads to Los Cabos International Airport if the port authority refuses to sit down with them. Nothing has been announced, but if you’re flying in or out next week, it’s worth keeping an eye on local news and leaving a little extra time.

If you have a boat trip booked

Most trips to the Arch at Land’s End, Lover’s Beach and the fishing grounds leave from the Cabo San Lucas marina. If your outing is on or after October 28, it doesn’t hurt to ask the operator whether the price you were quoted includes the new port fee. Still choosing? Our top 10 tours and activities in Los Cabos is a good place to start.

Sources