Mariel – 57 ships in 6 months

The Mariel Port container terminal in Cuba, operated by Singapore’s PSA International, has handled 57 ships since it opened six months ago, with approximately 15,000 containers being handled to date according to the terminal’s deputy director, Alvaro Molina.

Inaugurated in January, the terminal, which is located in the heart of the Mariel Special Development Zone 45 km west of Havana, was conceived as a future economic engine for the Communist-ruled island and a focal point for foreign investment.  It is hoped that the terminal will benefit from the Panama Canal expansion project, once completed in early 2016.

With a 702 m berth, equipped with four super post-Panamax cranes, the facility has an annual capacity of 822,000 containers.   Infrastructure includes a rail yard and warehouses, which are currently under construction.