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Development work begins at Cuba's container terminal in Mariel

Xinhua, May 23, 2015 Adjust font size:

A little more than a year after the official inauguration of the Containers Terminal in Cuba, the first projects to be approved by the food industry are underway there, local daily "Juventud Rebelde" said on Friday.

The terminal, officially operated since January 2014, is located in the Special Economic Development Zone of Mariel (ZEDM), some 45 km to the west of Havana.

A port terminal in the Mariel mega-project is able to store up to 800,000 20-foot containers per year and receive Post-Panamax vessels.

Idalmis Gonzalez, a spokesperson for ZEDM, said a space for storing 10,000 square meters of dry cargo and 5,000 cubic meters of refrigerated cargo has been completed.

Gonzalez said that another priority was the rail network, with the construction of 21-km railway lines and the renovation of almost 60-km others planned to facilitate the transportation of goods and workers.

The first business center in the ZEDM is also under construction.

The zone wants to first establish itself as a transshipment port and then as an importer of raw materials and an exporter of finished products, trying to attract large construction companies.

Gonzalez said the ZEDM has a privileged geographical location, with all basic infrastructure in place, highly qualified human resources, legal security and a flexible approval process.

Intended as Cuba's port to the world and a place to re-distribute goods, the Zone is part of a government policy to encourage integrated projects that attract foreign investment. It is expected to invigorate key sectors such as the agro-industry, biotechnology, energy and tourism. Endi