Ensenada, BC - The much-touted ferry linking Ensenada, Baja California, and San Diego has hit a familiar snag: the Ensenada San Diego ferry permits delay is keeping the service grounded even as local officials and the operator signal progress. The vessel has arrived in the region, but the Port of San Diego says critical approvals remain unresolved and no launch or test sailings can proceed until they are.
The ferry, operated by Azteca Ferries, was widely promoted in recent days as imminent. Ensenada Mayor Claudia Agatón posted on social media over the weekend, calling the service “official” and describing it as “the easiest, most comfortable and panoramic way to cross the border.” Supporters had expected the vessel to arrive in Ensenada earlier; one report the company’s own messaging and local media had pointed to an arrival this week with preparations underway. However, conflicting timelines emerged—some earlier public messaging had suggested an August 8 arrival, while a local outlet reported the ferry actually arrived July 25, 2025, and is now sitting idle pending regulatory clearance.
Despite the visible presence of the vessel and published tentative schedules on Azteca Ferries’ site showing two daily round trips, the Port of San Diego reiterated that full authorization is not yet in hand. In a statement, the port said the service provider “has been conducting due diligence, procuring a vessel, and performing necessary upgrades to the vessel in alignment with California’s clean air standards and regulations.” It added that “additional research will also be needed, as well as approvals from various state and federal agencies,” and that without compliance, the company cannot proceed even with test runs. “The Port is in support of a trial run once all requirements are met,” the statement concluded.
The heart of the discrepancy lies in competing narratives about permit status. Kurt Honold Morales, Baja California’s Secretary of Economy and Innovation, has publicly asserted that the ferry project has cleared the necessary state and federal hurdles on both sides of the border, and that the vessel’s arrival was part of moving toward launch preparations. That version of events includes claims of approvals from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, California authorities, and other environmental and security agencies, and frames the project as ready to advance pending the operator’s scheduling.
Yet the Port of San Diego’s position, echoed in recent reporting in Spanish-language outlets, makes clear more vetting remains. A Spanish-language summary of the situation noted the port’s message that “additional investigations and approvals from several state agencies” are still required before operations can begin or even preliminary test sailings can take place.
Azteca Ferries, when contacted for comment, struck a cautiously optimistic tone. The company said the project is “a great project, and requirements have to be met with various agencies in Mexico and the United States — we have met most of them, others in advanced stages, we will keep working to finish those that are pending so we can begin operations.” That statement underscores an ongoing, incomplete regulatory process while signaling intent to push forward. (Source: direct outreach referenced in user-provided material.)
The proposed service is being pitched as an alternative to the often slow and congested land border crossings, where waiting in line on foot or by vehicle can take hours. The ferry would cover roughly 70 miles (about 111 kilometers) across the Pacific in approximately 2 to 2.5 hours, offering travelers a faster, scenic option. Published fare projections put the one-way ticket price between $50 and $60, inclusive of port fees, although exact pricing and ticket sales timing remain in flux pending official launch details.
Azteca Ferries has already displayed departure and arrival times for two daily sailings on its website, suggesting confidence in moving toward a schedule: morning and evening options in both directions are listed, with the earliest from Ensenada to San Diego departing at 7 a.m. and return trips in the evening.
The operational plan includes infrastructure adjustments to support cross-border processing. According to reporting, the Ensenada port authority (ASIPONA) is being equipped with customs and immigration facilities intended to streamline passenger flow and allow necessary paperwork to be handled efficiently prior to boarding.
Local enthusiasm is tempered by the reality that without the full constellation of U.S. and California approvals—including environmental compliance, Coast Guard clearance, and border processing agreements—the ferry cannot legally carry paying passengers or even conduct official trials. The Port of San Diego’s insistence on “additional research” reflects agencies’ precautionary stance, particularly around air emissions retrofits and coordination between multiple federal partners.
The service’s delay showcases the complexity of binational infrastructure projects where overlapping jurisdictions and environmental standards intersect. Advocates argue the ferry could ease border pressure, boost cross-border commerce, and open a reliable tourism corridor between Southern California and Baja California’s wine country and beaches. Skeptics caution that until the permit and compliance web is fully untangled, public expectations should be calibrated to the likely pace of bureaucratic review.
For now, the vessel sits as a visible promise: in port, with published schedules, and with political and business backers publicly championing its coming. But the Ensenada San Diego ferry permits delay remains the gating factor. Officials on both sides say they are engaged; the operator says most requirements are met and the rest are imminent. A clear launch date has not been set, and the public will have to wait for formal signoffs before the first passenger boards.
Ensenada ferry, San Diego ferry, Azteca Ferries, border crossing, maritime transport, U.S.-Mexico travel, permit delay, Port of San Diego
