The ferry Perseverancia, one of the main transportation routes between the Isle of Youth and the rest of Cuba, is out of service after experiencing a failure in one of its engines.
The disruption reduces the capacity for passenger transport and complicates maritime connections between Nueva Gerona and Batabanó in Mayabeque.
Carlos Lázaro Arroyo Salas, director of the Business Unit (UEB) Viamar, explained to the press that the breakdown occurred in the main port engine and caused fresh water to enter the crankcase, where the oil that lubricates its components is stored.
Due to the severity of the issue, the authorities decided to completely halt the vessel, which has a capacity for around 430 passengers.
The official also ruled out using the towed ferry, as a journey that normally takes about six hours could extend to nearly 12, an alternative he deemed unfeasible for transporting passengers.
As long as the Perseverance remains docked, the catamaran V2V Empress will take over passenger transfers.
However, this vessel has a capacity for about 240 people, considerably fewer than the damaged ferry.
In addition, travelers must adhere to a 20-kilogram baggage limit per person, an important restriction for those needing to transport belongings between the island and the mainland.
Due to the reduction in available seats, Viajero is prioritizing passengers who need to continue their journey to other provinces or abroad, as well as patients with oncology medical appointments.
The catamaran will also have to take on the transportation of baseball equipment for teams participating in the National Series, as explained by the executive.
For now, there is no announced date for the Perseverance to return to service.
Arroyo announced that the arrival of foreign specialists in Nueva Gerona was expected this Tuesday to assess the damaged engine.
The visit was initially scheduled for the first quarter of 2027, but it was moved up due to the malfunction.
According to the official, these technicians are authorized to open the engine, assess the extent of the damage, and determine the necessary repairs.
Only after that assessment could a repair schedule be developed. So far, it has not been publicly confirmed that the specialists have arrived or how long the vessel will remain immobilized.
The director of Viamar also stated that there are containers with spare parts being held in Central America and attributed the delay in their arrival to the U.S. embargo, although he did not provide details that would allow for independent verification of this explanation.
The new interruption adds to the recurring technical issues that Perseverance has faced since it was put into service in August 2023.
In May of this year, the Government of Isla de la Juventud turned to private companies and the public to obtain an electric motor or the necessary wire to repair it, after acknowledging that they did not have the spare part available.
That problem affected an electrical component related to the vessel's control system, so it is a different malfunction from the one reported now in the port main engine.
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