The Cuban Transport Ministry published in La Gaceta Oficial (the Official Gazette) Resolution 19/2014, which establishes the Regulations for ruling the use, exploitation, operation, administration and maritime dock services of Mariel harbor, through the Port’s Authority, the highest authority in terms of the activities, operations, extraction, construction, maintenance and preservation of the environment in the harbor.
The Resolution states that the harbor will offer maritime dock services 24/7 all year round –except in force-majeure or exceptional situations.
In addition, the document covers rights and commitments for the rendering of maritime dock services, notification of arrival, dispatch, berth, and stay of ships, pilot, general services, dock maneuvers, storage operations, security plans for its facilities, control on the access of people and vehicles, control over the merchandise or packs that come in and out the dock, and other aspects on organization and control.
A section is devoted to the Preservation of the environment, establishing that the Port’s Authority will demand the compliance with the relevant environmental regulations and will control every action addressed to the preservation of the environment, in accordance with the Decree Law as well as the International Agreements Cuba is part of.
The implementation of these Regulations is supported by the polygonal imaginary line of Mariel’s harbor from the following areas: Punta Barlovento – Punta Torreón – Muelle de Guardafronteras – No. 1 Fuel berth – Berth No. 2 SSPM –Thermoelectric facilities –Cement Factory Freight Platform – Berth La Arenera MICONS – Cayo Lenin – Western Pilots – UBSM NAVECARIBE –ASTIMAR Shipyard–Osvaldo Padrón SSPM Terminal– Transportation Area – LogisticsArea – Mariel’s ContainerTerminal– Oil Area – Punta Cayuelos.
La Gaceta Oficial also published Resolution 49/2014 of the Cuban Transport Ministry (MITANS by its acronym in Spanish), which sets the Operation and Internal Control Regulations of Mariel’s Container Terminal. The official opening of the Terminal took place last January and was attended by Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff and the Cuban President Raul Castro.
It is the most modern container terminal in Latin America; it is an enterprise linked to the Cuban company Almacenes Universales S.A. Its administration and commercialization is in charge of Global Ports Management Limited (PSA), a leading group in the sector with its headquarters Singapore.
In its first stage, the new terminal has a 702-meters long lineal freight platform equipped with four super Post- Panamax cranes. The infrastructure created, top quality, will allow operating an initial capacity of 822 000 TEU (measure equivalent to a 20-feet long container) a year. Furthermore, 99.9% of the staff is Cuban, highly qualified and have been trained by PSA in Argentina, Cuba and Asia. Its development, according to economist Omar Everleny, “involves what today it is probably one of the largest investment projects in Cuba and, undoubtedly, it is framed in a wider context of international restructuration, but it should be clear that this would just bethe tip of the iceberg”.
