JAPDEVA reform passed on final reading — presidential signature and publication are now the only remaining steps
June 25, 2026 | Legislative File No. 24.259
Costa Rica’s Legislative Assembly has just cleared the last major legal obstacle to a long-promised project: the redevelopment of Limón’s port front into a marina and cruise terminal. The reform is now one signature and one gazette publication away from becoming law. Here is what happened, how we got here, and what it could mean if you’re evaluating a role in this project.
What just happened
- On June 25, 2026, Congress approved, on second and final reading, a reform to JAPDEVA’s Organic Law (Law No. 3091 of 1963) — the statute governing the state port and development authority for Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast.
- What remains: the President must sign it, and it must be published in the Official Gazette (La Gaceta). No further legislative steps are required.
- The reform gives JAPDEVA, for the first time, clear legal authority to (1) enter into strategic alliances with private companies, and (2) grant marina concessions on the land it administers.
How we got here
This bill has a long and, at times, difficult history:
- 2023–2024 — The Chaves Robles administration pushed a broader package, the “Jaguar Law 2.0,” which the Constitutional Chamber struck down twice.
- April 2024 — A narrower, standalone version focused specifically on JAPDEVA and Limón was filed as File No. 24.259 by then-legislator María Marta Carballo Arce.
- May 2026 — All five parties in Congress (PPSO, PLN, Frente Amplio, PUSC and CAC) sat down to negotiate a text everyone could support.
- June 22, 2026 — In response to a concern raised by the Comptroller General’s Office (CGR), Congress added a mandatory oversight fee to the bill (more below).
- June 23, 2026 — The updated text passed first reading unanimously, 54–0.
- June 25, 2026 — Final approval.
What the law actually does
Two changes matter most:
- It lets JAPDEVA partner with private companies. JAPDEVA can now sign “strategic alliance” contracts with private investors for infrastructure, capital investment, tourism, and related services in Limón — as long as the project shows a real, documented economic and social benefit to the province.
- It lets JAPDEVA grant marina concessions. Previously, only municipalities could award marina concessions under Costa Rican law — which meant JAPDEVA legally could not authorize a marina on its own land. That gap is now closed, subject to a technical feasibility sign-off from CIMAT, the interagency marina commission.
Alongside these two changes, the law builds in guardrails: alliances are exempt from ordinary public procurement rules (which is a major speed advantage — more below), but they still require Comptroller General approval, JAPDEVA board sign-off, adherence to transparency and competition principles, a 50-year maximum term, and a ban on monopolistic practices. Public port infrastructure itself cannot be sold, leased or mortgaged — it stays in public hands even while a private partner operates it commercially.
The oversight fee — the newest, and most concrete, cost item
The most important last-minute change is a new mandatory fee, added on June 22 at the Comptroller General’s request: every strategic alliance must pay a supervision fee of at least 1.5% of the alliance’s gross revenue — not profit — to fund ongoing oversight of the project. This is paid on top of whatever concession fee or other economic terms are separately negotiated with JAPDEVA. Any investor modeling this project should build this in as a fixed, non-negotiable floor, not a placeholder.
Why this matters for prospective investors
- Speed: Because alliances are exempt from Costa Rica’s general public procurement law, partner selection and contract negotiation can move meaningfully faster than a standard public tender — this is the single biggest practical advantage the law creates.
- Real project, real numbers: Press and government estimates put the combined marina and cruise terminal investment at roughly USD 900 million, with 20,000–23,000 direct and indirect jobs projected. These figures come from public statements, not the law itself, but they signal the scale of political and public appetite behind the project.
- Two distinct assets: The Limón Tourist Marina (yachts, sailboats, docking, fuel, nautical services) and the Hernán Garrón Salazar Cruise Terminal (expanded cruise capacity plus adjacent hospitality, retail and mixed-use development) are structured as related but separable opportunities.
- Predictable — but not lighter-touch — regulation: Faster process does not mean less scrutiny. Comptroller General approval, board authorization, and the new 1.5% fee all remain firmly in place.
- Timeline dependency: Implementing regulations — which will spell out the actual selection process, technical requirements, and deal mechanics — must be issued within six months of the law entering into force, and must go through public consultation. Nothing under this law can close before those regulations exist.
What to watch next
- Presidential signature and publication in La Gaceta — the final steps to bring the law into force.
- Publication of the implementing regulations (due within 6 months), which will determine the real mechanics of how JAPDEVA selects a strategic partner.
- Any indication of JAPDEVA’s timeline for opening the alliance/concession process once regulations are in place.
Bottom line
Costa Rica has removed the two specific obstacles that kept the Limón Marina project on paper: JAPDEVA can now legally partner with private capital, and it can now legally grant a marina concession. The process should move faster than a traditional public tender, but it comes with a fixed 1.5% revenue-based oversight cost and remains subject to real institutional controls. The real window for structuring a position opens once the implementing regulations are published — we recommend engaging early, while that regulatory framework is still being drafted and consulted.
This newsflash is for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. It should not be relied upon for investment or legal decisions. We recommend a formal legal opinion and confirmation of the law’s current status before proceeding. For a tailored analysis of this opportunity, please contact your BLP relationship partner.