In a major push to strengthen coastal infrastructure and fuel growth in two key Dominican economic sectors — tourism and commercial fishing — the Dominican Port Authority (APORDOM) has rolled out a comprehensive nationwide preventive maintenance program for public tourist and fishing docks across the country. Designed to address longstanding infrastructure wear while proactively preventing future deterioration, the initiative targets three core goals: upgrading aging port facilities, lifting national maritime safety standards, and creating more stable, supportive conditions for tourism activity and coastal economic development. Unlike reactive repair projects that respond to failures after they occur, this program centers on early, tailored intervention. Every dock included in the scheme undergoes a full technical inspection first, allowing crews to develop custom maintenance plans that align with each facility’s unique age, usage patterns, and structural needs. This personalized approach not only preserves the docks’ current operational capacity, but also extends the overall service lifespan of the public infrastructure, delivering greater long-term value for public investment. On-the-ground work covers a range of critical upgrades to improve safety and functionality. Technical crews are applying industrial-grade anti-corrosion and waterproofing treatments to shield structural components from saltwater damage, a leading cause of dock deterioration in tropical coastal environments. They are also replacing aged, rotted wooden decking that poses tripping and injury hazards, installing and repairing outdated lighting systems to enable safe operations after dark, and performing full maintenance on mooring cleats and other vessel docking equipment to ensure stable, secure berthing for small fishing boats and tourist vessels alike. As of the latest update, maintenance work has already been fully completed at six high-traffic coastal sites: the docks of Palenque, Cabo Rojo, Miches (La Yeguada), Boca de Yuma, and Isla Saona (Catuano), in addition to the key Boca de Yuma breakwater. Work is currently progressing on schedule at the Sánchez dock, with additional sites scheduled for upgrades in the coming phases of the program. Juan Miguel de los Santos, Engineering Director for APORDOM, explained that the preventive model is central to the program’s mission. By addressing minor wear and damage before it escalates into costly structural failure, the authority can reduce long-term maintenance expenses while delivering immediate improvements to safety and operational efficiency. The upgrades will benefit a wide range of stakeholders, from small-scale commercial fishermen and private maritime operators to domestic and international tourists visiting the Dominican Republic’s popular coastal destinations, and the thousands of local residents who rely on tourism and fishing for employment in coastal communities across the nation.
APORDOM upgrades tourist and fishing docks across the Dominican Republic
