CUBA's one container terminal in Mariel, 40 kilometres west of Havana, is well placed to benefit from the easing of US tensions with Cuba and the expansion of the Panama Canal next near.
Mariel Commercial director Marcelo Lluveras of the terminal built by Brazil's Odebrecht told the UK's Seatrade Global in an interview that "with the Cuba-US relations new situation, TC Mariel keeps its forecast of growth and development according to the realities of the market."
"In 2014, TC Mariel moved 230,000 TEU and forecast for 2015 aims at having cargo volumes increase to 260,000 - 280,000 TEU," he said.
The terminal is located next to the new Mariel Special Development Economic Zone and facing the coast of Florida.
In its first phase of development TC Mariel has a 702-metre quay, 18 metres alongside, four super postpanamax cranes, 12 rubber tyre gantry cranes and a 27.7 hectare (43.7 acres) container yard with a present capacity of 820,000 TEU.
Its 11.5-metre access channel will be widened to 13.9 metres this July and to 15.9 metres in July 2016, explains Mr Lluveras. In its last phase of expansion, TC Mariel will feature 2.4 kilometres of linear quay.
TC Mariel has signed an agreement with Singapore's PSA International to advise and administer the terminal.
To date, 51 per cent of TC Mariel movements have been imports and 49 per cent exports. In addition to Crowley Marine that has a long-time US-authorised service, Melfi Marine and the main European and Asian shipping lines call the terminal.
The terminal aims to handle 85 per cent of the country's exports in the near future, according to Mr Lluveras. Since Last year, all the shipping lines calling Havana have been slowly transferring to TC Mariel intended to replace Havana Port which is expected to become a tourist area for cruise ships.
"Havana terminal and the neighbouring area have to go through a process of 're-urbanisation' that may take some years but the idea is to move all cargo operations to TC Mariel," Mr Lluveras said.
With the inauguration of the expanded Panama Canal in 2016 the terminal is closely watched by regional port operators since TC Mariel is intended to serve as a not only as a gateway into Cuba but "with the results of the conversations between Cuba and the US with regards to our relations and the embargo, we are preparing to compete in the transhipment market in a near future," he added.
PORTS
18 April 2015 - 07:22
Cuba's Mariel terminal set to benefit from improving ties with US
CUBA's one container terminal in Mariel, 40 kilometres west of Havana, is well placed to benefit from the easing of US tensions with Cuba and the expansion of the Panama Canal next near.
PORTS
18 April 2015 - 07:22
Cuba's Mariel terminal set to benefit from improving ties with US
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