This year, ASTICAR repaired 20 vessels, of which 14 belong to the national
cabotage and dredging fleet which provides services in the different ports
of the country, reported today Granma newspaper.

Teresa Trujillo Garcia, Director of Quality and Development of ASTICAR
said to the press that the shipyard prioritized these tasks because of the
importance they have for the nation's economy.

He explained that the fleet is involved in the dredging of ports and
economic importance in strengthening the coastwise cargo transportations,
one of the most efficient means of transport, given the country's island
status.

She said the remaining repairs were made to foreign vessels, mainly
Mexicans, a way to contribute to the Cuban economy with over two million
dollars per year.

She added the fleet is currently performing dredging works in all relevant
ports throughout the country while increasing the volumes of the loads
transported around the island by sea, an efficient means due to Cuba’s
characteristics.

Manuel Jiménez Polanco, head of the Energy-Technical Department, said that
although ASTICAR is principally engaged in repaisr and shipbuilding, also
performs important work for other industries and mentioned the works they
did to reapir railroad steel bridges.