As soon as the U.S. government having approved the re-establishment of ferry links with Cuba, the jostling for positions among the potential service providers began in earnest. Within days United Caribbean Lines (UCL) announced that it had been granted licence by the U.S. Department of the Treasury to operate ferry services between the U.S. and Cuba. Alan Lam reports.
UCL plans to start cruise ferry services from several of the main ports in Florida, including Miami, Tampa, Port Everglades, and Key West, using modern overnight tonnage designed for international services. The company will operate daily passenger services from autumn 2015 onwards under the guidelines of the current U.S. regulations for travelling to Cuba. Arrangements are being made with Cuban authorities.
The UCL plan also includes extending the links to Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico.
The other known contender is the Spanish ferry operator, Baleària, which has also applied for a licence to operate the same service.
Baleària has been operating ferry services in the Caribbean since 2011. It currently connects Fort Lauderdale with Freeport, using BAHAMAS MAMA (formerly ALHUCEMAS) under the Bahamas Express brand name. The route was previously served by the fast ferry PINAR DEL RÍO, which is still based in the region and it is likely to be deployed on a Cuban route should the licence be granted. The ship is already in possession of all the necessary certificates required by the U.S. Coast Guard according to Adolfo Utor, the company’s president.
Baleària initially has plans to operate two routes from the U.S. to Havana: one high-speed service from Key West and the other (probably conventional) from Port Everglades.
The company also plans to establish another link in the region this year, between Fort Lauderdale and Nassau.
Within the same region, Baleària’s “internationalization” strategy also has Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic in its sight.
With the inclusion of Cuba, and possibly Mexico, the ferry business in the Caribbean is set to take off soon. The competition will be equally fierce.
