Cuba’s main port in the limelight

The Port of Mariel – The infamous point of exodus for thousands of Cuban refugees seeking freedom in the U.S. – may soon become a magnet for Caribbean Basin trade.

A great deal has changed since that shameful episode in the 1980s, when the Cuban government dumped its criminals and dissidents on American shores. And maritime analysts suggest that the recent diplomatic thaw in our relationship may augur great things for Cuba’s deep-water port.

Thanks for economic development investment loans from Brazil, the port also contains a 180-square-mile “special development” zone for industrial and energy production. China and Vietnam are also said to have contributed to this project.

With the Panama Canal on course for expansion early next year, and Nicaragua’s “Grand Canal” in early development, Cuba could be in the sweet spot for future world trade and logistics. 

This should put U.S. port authorities on high alert, as Mariel has been dredged to 58-feet – capable of handling the new generation of mega-carriers – and is well positioned to become an offshore manufacturing hub for companies seeking cheaper sourcing operations.

The threat to national security, meanwhile, has yet to be measured. But shippers may expect to see more supply chain reconfigurations as ocean carriers position themselves for a new opportunity in the region.