Only One Regla Ferry in Operation, Maintenance Shutdown Expected Soon, Says Transportation Minister

The Regla Ferry, a well-known means of transportation connecting the municipality of Regla with the rest of Havana via the bay, currently has six vessels in its fleet, but only one is operational. This information was shared by the Minister of Transportation Eduardo Rodríguez Dávila on his Facebook profile, where he mentioned that there are no set dates for the reactivation of the five vessels that are out of service at various bases in Havana.

"The uncertainty is normal due to the instability that passenger transportation in the Bay of Havana has experienced," Rodríguez Dávila began in his post. This situation follows the simultaneous operation of the Giraldilla and 4th Congress ferries a few weeks ago, which prompted the minister to address the question: "Are there two ferries?"

However, despite this question driving the minister's inquiry, the reality is that only one ferry is currently operational and is expected to stop soon for maintenance, according to his own post. "The 4th Congress has been stable for quite some time, but the Cuban Ship Registry indicates that the vessel is overdue for maintenance and will need to be taken out of service soon," Rodríguez Dávila noted.

The minister mentioned that "its repair should not take more than three weeks" and assured that "any suspension will be announced in a timely manner, and only if other vessels are available to ensure service continuity."

The other vessel, named "La Giraldilla," was in operation until recently but had to stop because its engine was damaged. Rodríguez Dávila noted that two engines had been imported for the Regla ferries and that the vessel in question received one of them during a repair carried out by CDC, a company within the Maritime-Port Transport Business Group (Gemar).

Current Status of the Regla Ferries

The minister also provided updates on the other four vessels: La Coubre, 300 Anniversary, Baraguá, and Mártires de Tarará. La Coubre is currently docked in Casablanca undergoing repairs, with service expected to resume by August 15. "The hull calibration went quite well. Some areas had erosion and low thickness, but these are being renewed. Work is also being done on the vessel's carpentry, and all compartments have been cleaned. This ferry will receive the other new imported engine. Progress with the sandblasting is underway," commented the minister.

The 300 Anniversary also has engine issues, but its repair seems more complicated due to bureaucratic hurdles. "The supplier, the joint venture UNEVOL S.A., is responsible for the repair, and we will cover the cost. This process is ongoing," the minister highlighted, noting that "repairing the engine would almost put the vessel back into operation."

The worst technical conditions are found in the Baraguá and Mártires de Tarará ferries. "The first has hull and engine problems. An electric motor and solar panels are being considered as alternatives, but there is no certainty about the timeline for its reactivation," he said.

"The Mártires de Tarará will be docked for inspection. There is no definitive date for its repair either," he concluded.

Regarding a seventh vessel, currently used as a tugboat in the bay and now docked, Rodríguez Dávila mentioned that they are evaluating the possibility of converting it to passenger transport. "This is currently being projected to assess its feasibility," he stated.

At the end of May this year, for the first time since November 2022, two Regla Ferries operated simultaneously in the Bay of Havana. "This does not mean that we have the proper conditions to offer a stable service with the desired quality," the minister warned at that time.