Quintana Roo, Mexico - For the past two years, a proposal to construct a cruise ship dock on the small Mexican island of Isla Mujeres has been in the works. Recently however, state officials told Riviera Maya News the likelihood of construction is great.

The 4.3 mile (7 km) long island is located about 8 miles (13 km) off the coast from Cancún and is typically reached by ferry. The island is relatively unknown as a destination, according to Agapito Magaña Sánchez, municipal president of the state, who said that entrepreneurs in Florida have only been recently drawn to the idea of a cruise ship port on the island. Isla Mujeres is otherwise known for its snorkeling and scuba diving in its surrounding coral reefs. There is also a Mayan temple and a sea turtle sanctuary at the southern tip of the island.

Ercé Barrón Barrera, director of the Port Authority of Quintana Roo, said that new routes in the Mexican Caribbean were necessary, which spawned the idea of Isla Mujeres as a port two years ago. The proposal however saw significant progress in March during an investment presentation by Sánchez.

Both Sánchez and Barrera assert that the project is viable; right now, officials are researching economic feasibility analysis and environmental studies in regards to the port's construction. A port at Isla Mujeres will create a circuit with other berths in Quintana Roo. Barrera also said that, when Mexico hosts the next international travel convention in October, he will bring executives to Isla Mujeres to learn more about the island and promote the project.

The state of Quintana Roo currently has four cruise ship port docks: three in Cozumel and one at Mahahual in Costa Maya. Officials hope the construction project will be carried out in three years.