By
Rebecca Gibson |
Passenger ferries could sail between Florida in the US and Havana in Cuba for the first time in more than 50 years after the US government approved new services.
Ferry services between the two countries stopped when the US imposed a trade embargo on Cuba in 1960, but after diplomatic ties were restored in December 2014, the ban has been lifted.
Before services can begin, the US Coast Guard must approve the potential Cuban ports of entry and the companies must negotiate matters such as dock access with the Cuban government. Each licence must be issued on a case-by-case basis.
Although open travel is still not permitted, the companies will be able to carry travellers who are authorised to visit Cuba under current US laws according to 12 reasons, which were approved by the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the US Commerce Department in January 2015. These reasons include family visits, education, religion, public performances, clinics, workshops and exhibitions.
Licences were granted to at least four companies on 5 May including Airline Brokers of Miami, Baja Ferries USA, Havana Ferry Partners and United Caribbean Lines.
According to the United Caribbean Lines’ website, the company aims to offer a ferry service from Florida to Cuba from autumn 2015 and provide future services to Cancun and the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico.
The company, which has ‘overnight ferry vessels with over 400 cabins and capacity for 1,500 passengers’, plans to sail from ‘major Florida ports such as PortMiami, Port Tampa Bay and Port Everglades’. Its proposed schedule will see ships departing from Florida at 6pm and arriving in Havana at 7am the following day. Ships will also depart Havana at 6pm and arrive in Florida at 7am the next morning. Final schedules to Cuba will be confirmed after approval from US and Cuban authorities.
“United Caribbean Lines is proud to announce our upcoming Ferry Service to Cuba,” said the company on its website. “Families can save 25-50% off the cost of air travel.”
Meanwhile, Havana Ferry Partners aims to launch a ferry route from Key West to Havana in the next few weeks, using a vessel that could cater for up to 200 passengers. It also plans to add overnight ferry service later from Fort Lauderdale and Miami to Havana using a larger vessel that could carry between 300 and 500 passengers.
“Havana Ferry Partners has received the approval from both the US Treasury Department and the OFAC, and the US Commerce Department and BIS, to operate our passenger and cargo ferry from four South Florida ports to Havana,” said the company on its Facebook page. “This is a historical event.”
Baja Ferries, which already operates a ferry service between the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico in Mexico, plans to offer an overnight service to Cuba, most likely sailing out of a South Florida port three times per week.
Airline Brokers, which has been licenced to provide travel services to Cuba since 1982, first filed a passenger vessel application in 1991 and is now considering sailings from Port Everglades.