The popular Regla ferry in Havana, whose service had been suspended on May 20 after the propeller of the only boat in operation fell into the sea, resumed on May 25.
The Minister of Transportation, Eduardo Rodríguez Dávila, reported that the ferry that allowed the service to resume this Saturday was not the IV Congreso, but La Giraldilla, which underwent a major repair and was supposed to be ready before April 30th, according to the previously reported plan.
The head of Transportation explained that the IV Congress - the one that lost its propeller - should be completed by the end of this week that has just begun, assuming there are no setbacks.
The good news, if true, would be that for the first time in many months, there would be two boats available instead of one.
But there's more, says Eduardo Rodríguez Dávila, "two new engines are already sailing towards Cuba that will allow to continue the recovery process previously announced, which is not without financial tensions and organizational aspects that need to be improved."
Rodríguez Dávila accompanied the announcement with photos of his visit to the shipyard in Casa Blanca, in the Bay of Havana, to closely assess the situation of the small boats accompanied by workers from the Maritime Port Group (GEMAR).
The information about the service interruption this week was not as timely as a situation like this requires, nor were all available channels used, which caused annoyance among the population. As an alternative and as far as possible, bus transportation was used, but this does not replace the function of these vessels," the official admitted in the final segment of his statement.
In the comments section, numerous Havanan residents expressed joy at the good news of the Lanchita's return and the new promises of service improvement.
The least optimistic wondered how long it will last, as the Regla Ferry has been experiencing a tough streak of breakdowns and malfunctions.
It was last week that the Provincial Transport Company of Havana published an informative note warning about the temporary suspension of the popular Regla Ferry service.
The state entity detailed that the main cause was an issue with the "boat's steering system," which caused the propeller to come loose and fall into the water." The note explained that dives were carried out, but due to the water turbulences caused by recent rains, the propeller was not found, so the decision to replace it was made, a process that would take time.
In the comments section of the post, several internet users erupted in indignation over the new episode that interrupted the service of the Regla Ferry, a very important means of transportation for some residents in the capital.
The ups and downs of the Regla ferry
In February, Rodríguez Dávila reported that at that time, only one of the six small boats from Regla was in operation due to "technical issues" with the other five, and he anticipated what the evolution of the service was expected to be in the coming months.
The minister then informed that by the end of March, three new engines and an additional set of repair equipment, along with other resources, would arrive, accelerating the repair of the boats that were stranded at that time, something that evidently has not happened.
He also said that it was expected to have a second vessel in operation by the end of April, another one in the second half of the year, and two others at the beginning of 2025, following coordination with the shipyards.
The transport authority also announced that the rescue vessel would be put into service, which would allow the night routes to be reinstated, although it did not specify when.
The senior official added that they were also exploring alternatives through international collaboration for the acquisition of additional boats.
The trips of the popular Lanchita de Regla, which connects three points in the bay: the Regla Inlet, the Muelle de Luz, and Casablanca, were restored in mid-November after the reconstruction of the access walkway to the boat, whose deterioration had forced the service interruption on September 22nd.
With a capacity for about 100 passengers, the Regla shuttle boat travels between Regla and the Luz Pier in about seven minutes.
The popular maritime route -which is a relief for those who need to travel between Regla and Old Havana- was also interrupted for part of the summer of 2023 after the vessel was subjected to repairs due to an "affected bushing on the motor shaft line".
After resuming the service, it was for a short period. In September, the capital authorities announced once again the interruption of the trips to replace the old walkway with a new one. The decision to repair the dock was made after numerous complaints about the poor condition of the access bridge, which endangered the safety of travelers boarding the boat.
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