CubaMinrex. Sitio del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Cuba

U.S. Blockade Costs Millions to Cuban Transportation

CUBA, October 8, 2009. The blockade imposed by the United States on Cuba for nearly 50 years left economic loses for the Cuban transportation sector to the tune of more than 357 million dollars in the period from March 2008 to April 2009 alone.

In statements to Granma newspaper, Deputy Transportation Minister Antonio Puentes said the blockade interferes in the import of parts for transportation means in the island.

Puentes said that since the American unilateral sanctions do not allow Cuba to buy parts in that country, the Caribbean nation is forced to do it through third countries, which increases costs -especially shipment costs-, and the delivery deadline is not usually met. For these reasons, it is impossible to maintain a steady flow in the repairing and technical assistance, said Puentes.

This situation hits harder the railroad sector, where 80 of its locomotives were made in the United States between 30 and 50 years ago and the technical availability for those equipments is of 49,7 percent.

The railroad technical systems and railways in Cuba, which were originally based on American norms, have had to be adapted to the European systems to allow the use of locomotives, wagons and cars made in that continent, Asia and the Arab countries.
(Cubaminrex- ACN)

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