Florida Keys-Cuba ferry service mooted

Monday, 19 Feb, 2015 0

A Fort Lauderdale-based company is looking to establish a regular ferry service connecting the Florida Keys with Cuba.

Brian Hall, owner of catamaran broker KonaCat, said he hopes to have the Marathon City Marina to Havana service up and running by the end of the year.

Hall is confident he can get approval to operate the 200-passenger catamaran as the business will be targeted at passengers already permitted to travel to Cuba.

"We’re going to operate as a nonprofit organization. I feel pretty certain we’ll get the OFAC (U.S. Office of Foreign Asset Control) license," Hall said.

"The trips are going to be for religious groups, educational trips and for Cuban-Americans to see their families again."

Hall says he is working with U.S. Customs and Border Protection to address the potential fears of an influx of stowaways.

A customs international entry point is currently under construction at the port and is scheduled to be completed by August this year.

"When we dock, the boat will be given to a Customs agent who will sweep the whole boat and all the baggage. It will be similar to the Customs screening you get if you flew into the country by plane," Hall said.

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