by Yosley Carrero
SANTIAGO DE CUBA, Cuba, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Osmel Nunez, a 33-year-old crane operator at Santiago de Cuba port, starts his day before sunrise.
Thanks to a Chinese government credit, the multipurpose port terminal in the eastern province of Santiago de Cuba finished its modernization process and started operation in 2019. Nunez thus enjoys better working conditions while loading and unloading cargo.
"I can operate up to 108 cargo containers a day, which has very much contributed to the efficiency of the port," Nunez told Xinhua.
Equipped with state-of-the-art technology, the new terminal has seen an increase in operations over the past few years, especially in terms of food and machinery shipments.
Along with the container terminal in the municipality of Mariel, located 50 km west of the capital Havana, the Santiago de Cuba port is considered as one of the best equipped in Cuba.
The Santiago de Cuba port terminal features three Chinese-made cranes, one of them with the capacity to load up to 50 tons of goods. In addition, new facilities including warehouses and a power generator have been set up.
Port Terminal Director Yamilka Roque said that the work done by Chinese technicians has helped tackle port congestion.
"The whole port system of this city has improved with the new facilities," she said. "We have optimized operations and reduced delays."
Santiago de Cuba port is the largest of the 12 located in the east of the country.
Jose Antonio Olivares, director of port services, told Xinhua that the terminal could be a way to boost the trade and business flow in the Caribbean.
"We are already seeing the results of this successful project, which has set the conditions for future joint projects between Chinese and Cuban technicians for years to come," he said. ■
