South Florida ferry company plans trips to Cuba

South Florida ferry company plans trips to Cuba
Published March 20, 2015 EFE

The South Florida ferry company CubaKat is planning to start very soon
operating trips by sea to Cuba from Marathon in the Florida Keys, the
company said Friday.

"CubaKat's goal is to offer our ferry service, from the Florida Keys to
ports within Cuba, some time in 2015. Currently, we're working with
officials from both countries to make this venture a reality," the
company said on its Web site.

It's not the only company in Florida interested in offering trips to the
port of Havana: Havana Ferry Partner, among others, with offices in Fort
Lauderdale, applied some time ago for a license to operate a high-speed
ferry service to Cuba.

These companies must wait until the U.S. government authorizes the
issuing of licences, subject to the regulations of the existing U.S.
embargo on Cuba.

Unlike the number of charter airlines already operating flights to the
island, no company as yet has a license to transport travelers to Cuba
by sea, according to the Office of Foreign Assets Control, or OFAC, an
agency of the United States Department of the Treasury.

CubaKat could offer a high-speed catamaran to cover the route between
Marathon and Havana, a distance that would take some four hours for the
double-hulled boat to cross.

"Very simply, our desire is to provide a low cost, reliable and safe
transportation option for visitors to the island of Cuba...whether
travelers are visiting family, exploring a new country, (or) going for
educational or religious activities," the company said.

"While we are not currently operating ferry service from Florida to
Cuba, we are working very closely with both U.S. and Cuban authorities
and other partners to gain full governmental approval for our service,"
CubaKat said. EFE

Source: South Florida ferry company plans trips to Cuba | Fox News
Latino -
http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/news/2015/03/20/south-florida-ferry-company-plans-trips-to-cuba/