For the first time in a year and a half, two Regla small ferries are in service in Havana.

This week, for the first time since November 2022, two small boats from Regla are sailing simultaneously in the Bay of Havana.

The news was announced on social media by the Minister of Transportation, Eduardo Rodríguez Dávila, who noted that "during peak hours in the morning and afternoon, both will be operational, thus improving the service."

This does not mean that we have the adequate conditions to offer a stable service with the quality we desire," the minister warned, however, he accompanied his statement with beautiful images of the small boats sailing the waters of the Bay.

This has been the second recent good news coming from the popular Havana transportation system, vital for thousands of residents in that area of the capital.

On May 25th, the minister announced that "La Lanchita", whose service had been suspended on May 20th after the propeller of the only boat in use at that time fell into the sea, had been resumed.

On that occasion, the head of Transportation informed that the small boat that allowed the service to resume was not the IV Congreso, but La Giraldilla, which underwent a major repair and should have been ready before April 30th.

The Transport Minister detailed that the IV Congress - the one that lost its propeller - should be added to the service shortly, and this has been done, at least for the time being.

In the comments section, Rodríguez Dávila - undoubtedly the most popular and empathetic of the Cuban ministers due to his level of dialogue with the citizens - made a wish for the main thing: that the small boats last.

The ups and downs of the small boat from Regla

In February, Rodríguez Dávila reported that at that time, only one of the six small boats from Regla was in operation due to "technical problems" with the other five, and 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 repair kit, along with other resources, would arrive, which would speed up the repair of the boats that were stranded at that time, something that evidently has not happened.

He also mentioned that it was expected to have a second vessel in operation by the end of April, another one in the second semester, and two more at the beginning of 2025, following coordination with the shipyards.

The transport official also reported that the rescue vessel would be put into service, which would allow night routes to be restored, although he did not specify when.

The senior official added that they were also seeking alternatives through international collaboration for the acquisition of additional vessels.

The popular Regla Boat trips, which connect three points in the bay: Regla's Embarkation Point, Luz Pier, 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 Ferry makes its journey between Regla and the Luz Dock in about seven minutes.

The popular maritime route - which is a relief for those who need to commute between Regla and Old Havana - was also interrupted for part of the summer of 2023 after the vessel underwent repairs due to a "motor shaft line bushing issue."

After resuming the service, it was only for a short time. In September, the city authorities once again announced the interruption of trips to replace the old footbridge with a new one. The decision to repair the dock was made after numerous complaints about the poor condition of the access bridge, which was endangering the safety of travelers boarding the boat.