The dire shortage of resources and crumbling infrastructure forced the Cuban government to resort to a desperate measure to move over 700 passengers between Nueva Gerona and Batabanó. The primary vessel for this route, the ferry Perseverance, has been unable to dock for weeks due to sediment buildup in the Batabanó port channel, worsened by the recent Hurricane Rafael.
Without timely dredging and lacking alternative vessels, maritime transport has further deteriorated. The government's plan involved transferring passengers on the ferry to the canal entrance and switching them to another vessel mid-sea, as if they were seasoned survival experts or highly trained military personnel.
When the seas proved too rough for the planned catamaran transfer, an old tugboat, the Polar 11, was improvised to ensure the ferry could dock, albeit with engines off. The ferry and tugboat captains coordinated successfully, ultimately transporting 430 passengers to Nueva Gerona and 361 to Batabanó.
Improvised Solutions Expose System Flaws
Instead of modern ferries or suitable vessels, an antiquated tugboat was the saving grace that highlighted the systemic failures of Cuba's transportation network. After weeks of halted maritime service between Nueva Gerona and Batabanó, stranded passengers, including vulnerable individuals, elderly, children, and urgent medical cases, were finally able to reach their destinations.
The Minister of Transportation, Eduardo Rodríguez Dávila, hailed the operation as a feat of "perseverance," yet his words mask a harsh truth. In Cuba, there are no adequate resources or vessels, and the lack of preventive planning forces Cubans to rely on makeshift and risky solutions daily across all situations.
A Collapsing Public Transport System
The maritime transportation system is on the brink of collapse. Repairs on the usual catamarans, crucial for this route, have stalled due to a shortage of materials and essential parts. Meanwhile, dredging of the Batabanó port, deemed "the real solution" by the minister, is progressing sluggishly. A dredge is set to be relocated from La Coloma for this task, but no concrete timeline for completion has been established.
Contrary to the "sensitivity and responsibility" the minister claims to see among officials, users face a reality of uncertainty, frustration, and distrust in a system unable to meet their basic needs. The failure to dredge ports, keep vessels operational, or devise effective solutions is not an isolated issue but part of a systemic crisis impacting the entire nation.