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The ferry Perseverancia arrived at the port of Nueva Gerona on the Isle of Youth after completing an intermediate repair that lasted nearly three months, and it will soon rejoin the vital maritime route between Cuba's second largest island and Batabanó.
Through his account on Facebook, the Minister of Transport, Eduardo Rodríguez Dávila, announced that the planned repair process has been extended from October 7 to December 25, 2025, which is 10 days longer than initially anticipated.
"The vessel has just arrived at the Port of Nueva Gerona, from where it will rejoin the essential Gerona-Batabanó route, as will be reported in due course, once the necessary technical inspections and adjustments are completed," the official emphasized.
According to the Port Maritime Transport Business Group (GEMAR) and the shipping company Prácticos de Cuba, the vessel successfully passed the dock and sea trials after being subjected to more than 50 technical tasks during its time in the dry dock at Caribbean Drydock Company, in Havana Bay.
The work carried out included the replacement of propellers, elements of the steering system, and shafts; the restoration of the cooling system for the diesel generators; maintenance of electrical and air conditioning systems; installation of an emergency power plant and a nursing station; as well as improvements in accessibility for people with disabilities and general painting of the ship.
The authorities highlighted that the repairs involved the procurement of supplies amounting to over 550,000 euros, financed by GEMAR's economic scheme and the country, in addition to a project approved by the Public Transport Development Fund for an amount of 33 million pesos, included in the investment plan for 2025.
The Perseverance began operations in August 2023 and remained in service until October 3, 2025, which was its final trip before entering maintenance.
During that period, it made 716 crossings, transported nearly 298,000 passengers, and over 82,000 tons of cargo, figures that reflect the almost exclusive importance of this vessel in the connectivity of the special municipality.
His return comes amidst a backdrop marked by the fragility of the maritime transport system to the Isle of Youth.
For years, the Perseverance has been the only boat operating consistently, while other catamarans remain out of service due to deterioration and a lack of parts, a situation that has led to repeated suspensions, delays, and dissatisfaction among the residents.
Although the Ministry of Transport has announced the addition of new catamarans such as the V2V Empress and soon the Río Las Casas, the reality is that the maritime connectivity of Isla de la Juventud continues to rely on partial solutions and an aging fleet, whose operability remains vulnerable to technical failures and financial limitations.
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