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Direct Shipment Service From Cuba to US Resumes After 50 Years

Published Jul 13, 2012 4:33 PM by The Maritime Executive

Commencing July 11, 2012 at 12 pm Eastern Time, International Port Corp (IPC), via CubaPACK, began offering the only weekly, OFAC- and US Department of Commerce-licensed, direct maritime humanitarian shipment service from the Miami River Port, USA to the Port of Havana, Cuba.

At 7:00 am July 12, 2012, the ship docked at the port of Havana ready to off load, marking a historic occasion and making it the first direct Miami to Cuba maritime shipment in over 50 years.

IPC's new "direct next day to port service" supersedes the old third country maritime shipping times to the port of Havana of 30 to 60 days and offers the optional convenience of island-wide home delivery via CubaPACK, the largest delivery service company on the island.

Once in port, recipients have the option of picking up their shipments or using a one-week all-points Havana delivery service or a two-week island-wide delivery option supported by CubaPACK.

As of June 18, 2012, Cuban authorities officially curtailed allotments of duty free food parcels. In response to this new regulation, IPC offers a fully compliant small parcel and heavy durable goods service facilitating the humanitarian shipment of large items such as construction materials, home furniture, domestic electrical and electronic goods and car/machine parts.

Local area merchants are extremely pleased with IPC's new services. Many Hialeah and Little Havana merchants are currently making direct deliveries to IPC's processing facilities at the Miami River Port and represent a sizable proportion of the cargo on its historic, direct, Miami to Cuba maiden voyage of July 11, 2012.

Photo (thumb): The mouth of the Miami River at Brickell Point (August 1935).

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Source: MarketWatch