Tourist Port Havana

Abstract

To achieve economic growth, the intentions of Cuba are to focus on tourism. The current facilities of the Port of Havana are however in a state of heavy decay and the city is not able to receive tourists travelling by yacht or ferry. For this reason the master plan Tourist Port Havana has been created. The objective is to find a feasible solution in the Havana Bay to receive large numbers of tourists that will visit the city by yacht or ferry. This has resulted in the design of Marina La Coubre, which holds enough berths for 276 yachts of varying sizes, and the design of Havana International Ferry Terminal. With its four berths, the ferry terminal can process ferry lines connecting Havana and for instance Key West, Miami, Tampa, the Bahamas or Cancún. The Ensenada de Atarés in the west of the Bay of Havana is a prime location for both components. The location is close to the historic city centre of Havana, and sufficient area is available on land as well as on water. From a hydrodynamic point of view, the Atarés bay is suitable due to the absence of currents that can be of hindrance to yachts. Locally generated wind waves are however of concern and to ensure the quality of Marina La Coubre a floating breakwater is required. The roads around the port are adapted so the extra generated traffic can be distributed without blocking the through flow. Marina La Coubre is connected to a new roundabout, with a layout that increases the traffic safety. Traffic towards the Havana International Ferry Terminal is rerouted to increase the capacity of the network. Marina La Coubre and Havana International Ferry Terminal are two great assets to the city of Havana and fit neatly in the master plan Tourist Port Havana. The designed components ensure that the port will be able to receive large numbers of tourists visiting the city by yacht or ferry. When evaluating the project, there are however some challenges that arise. The nautical analysis has shown that due to an increase in nautical traffic in the bay, the entrance channel becomes a bottleneck. If the Port of Havana decides to focus on tourism, the attractiveness of the port as a destination for cargo vessels decreases significantly. A decision should be made whether the future of the Port of Havana is as a tourist port or a cargo port. This report makes clear that a combination of both will lead to conflict. The financial and economic evaluations of the project show that without incorporating indirect effects to the local economy, the project has limited viability. Financial support by the government is however justified, as the project generates extra value to the society.