GPH Appoints Emilio Vazquez Villanueva to Lead Acapulco Cruise Port
The redevelopment includes a three-hundred-fifty-meter cruise pier scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2027 beside Fuerte de San Diego.
Global Ports Holding has appointed Emilio Vazquez Villanueva as general manager of Acapulco Cruise Port in Mexico as the company moves forward with a 24-year concession to operate and develop the Pacific port. Vazquez Villanueva will work with cruise lines, government authorities and local stakeholders on Acapulco’s role in Mexican Riviera itineraries.
The appointment gives GPH a local lead with recent experience inside both Acapulco’s port administration and Guerrero’s tourism ministry. It also comes as the Terminal Marítima de Acapulco undergoes redevelopment, including a new 350-meter cruise pier scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2027.
Mike Maura Jr., regional director for the Americas at Global Ports Holding, said Vazquez Villanueva’s background in port operations, tourism and stakeholder engagement made him “exceptionally well positioned to lead our newest port.”
“We look forward to working together as we continue investing in Acapulco’s future and strengthening its position as one of the Pacific region’s premier cruise destinations,” Maura said.
Local port and tourism experience
Vazquez Villanueva’s career includes roles across international trade, economic development, logistics, tourism and port management. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s degree in fiscal planning and international taxation.
He joined the Administration of the National Port System in Acapulco, known as ASIPONA, as commercial manager in 2023, where he worked on the port’s development. He later served as subsecretary of tourism promotion for the state government’s Ministry of Tourism.
Acapulco redevelopment under GPH concession
GPH’s concession runs from 2026 to 2050. The company began operations in the second quarter of 2026 and is working with ASIPONA on terminal upgrades.
The terminal sits in Old Acapulco on the bay’s malecón beside the Fuerte de San Diego. Cruise ships dock directly at the pier. The Zócalo and the Cathedral of Our Lady of Solitude are within a short walk of the terminal area.
Acapulco functions primarily as a port of call rather than a homeport. Construction work may alter berthing arrangements or passenger access during the rebuild.
