The new Papagayo Marina, located on the Pacific Ocean, on which construction began at the end of August, will allow 370 boats and hopefully will give work to approximately 800 persons.

The work, which in the first phase will have a cost of $15 million, is being constructed in Manzanillo Bay, in the designated tourism magnet of Papagayo.  The work began as soon as the Town councils of Liberia approved the initial stage. Ecodesarrollo Papagayo started the earthworks to prepare the area, confirmed the Mayor of Liberia, Ricardo Samper.

The construction will happen in two stages.  In the first one there will be 160 boat positions of tie, administrative and government offices. Later on, 210 new boat positions of tie will be constructed, as well as restaurants, commercial and fuel supply areas.

“This project has a concession area of 44 hectares and it will have a capacity for 370 boats”, declared Roberto Cooper, the director of the Papagayo Marina.

The Marina can be used for ships of 35 to more than 100 feet of length (measure of a ship from the prow up to the stern).

Job Opportunities

The project has the support of the Liberian authorities because of the expectation of generation of new sources of work. According to preliminary information, Marina Papagayo will offer employment to approximately 800 persons.  However, training is needed in specific areas related to the maintenance and arrangement of boats.

“We must integrate ourselves to this activity to obtain sources of work for our population; because of that, we talked with the developers of the project, Ecodesarrollo Papagayo, in order for them to help us in the training of the personnel according to their needs”, said the Mayor Samper.

The company Ecodesarrollo Papagayo added that the employments that a Marina generates are: boat captains, assistants, safety and administrative staff, attendees of wharves, operators, among others.

- from La Nación October 13, 2006. Page 18A