Mexico City, Mexico — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says an amicable solution has been reached in the Zheng He vessel case. Following a negotiated solution, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea ordered the definitive closure of the case.
On Monday, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) ordered the closure of the international dispute between Mexico and Luxembourg.
The Luxembourg-flagged vessel Zheng He was detained in the port of Tampico in October 2023 for violating Mexican customs and tax regulations.
Mexico has consistently maintained that all matters related to the vessel should be resolved within the jurisdiction of Mexican authorities and courts, and not at the international level.
The case was brought by Luxembourg before the ICTR on June 4, 2024, on the grounds that its rights as a flag State were not respected.
After extensive rounds of negotiation, and thanks to a permanent dialogue led by the legal departments of the Mexican and Luxembourg foreign ministries, the legal status of the ship was regularized in strict adherence to the national legal order and in consideration of the ties of friendship and cooperation between both countries.
This resolution is the result of diplomatic efforts made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE), with the technical and professional support of the Tax Administration Service (SAT), the Ministry of the Navy and the National Customs Agency of Mexico (ANAM), among others.
The participation of the SAT was fundamental to guaranteeing the correct application of the tax provisions and the due payment of contributions in foreign trade matters, resulting in a collection of close to 400 million pesos.
Once the legal status of the Zheng He vessel was regularized, Mexico and Luxembourg agreed to request the closure of the proceedings, marking the complete and definitive solution of the case at the national and international levels.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterates its commitment to international law and to the mechanisms for the peaceful settlement of disputes, fundamental pillars for the maintenance of constructive and mutually beneficial international relations.
