Proposed ferry services from Florida to Cuba are unlikely to begin until late 2016 at the earliest, the executive of one company said.
United Caribbean Lines has already been granted approval to operate services from US authorities but is still awaiting official clearance from Cuba.
"The Cuban government has said they’ll hold off for several months. It’s not a priority now," United Caribbean CEO Bruce Nierenberg said.
"It won’t start before the second half of 2016 at the earliest. Cuba is taking its time and they’re thinking it through. You have to have a lot of patience."
United Caribbean is one of at least seven operators with a US license to operate sea crossings but so far none has been given the green light by Cuba.
Nierenberg said Havana is prioritizing hotel construction and cruise tourism at the moment.
United Caribbean Lines plans to run two overnight passenger and vehicle ferry services from Miami and Tampa with about 500 cabins.
Other Florida seaports in the running for direct sailings to Cuba include Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach and Key West.
Spanish ferry company Balearia even proposed to invest $38 million on a ferry terminal and related infrastructure to help speed up the approval process with Cuban authorities.
The proposal was made ‘to show the willingness of the company to invest in Cuba and operate from Havana,’ said spokeswoman Pilar Boix, but so far the incentive is yet to have the desired effect.
.
