MARIEL, Cuba, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Giant Chinese-built cranes briskly unload shipping containers from cargo ships at Cuba's deep-water port of Mariel, a fledgling special economic zone the country hopes will drive development over the coming years.
China, Cuba's second largest trading partner, is playing a key role in helping the Caribbean island country to make Mariel live up to its promise.
WORLD-CLASS TERMINAL
The Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co. (ZPMC), a global leader in port equipment, has provided the Mariel Container Terminal (TCM) with four ship-to-shore gantry cranes (STS), 12 rubber tiered gantry cranes (RTGs) and two rail mounted gantry cranes (RMGs).
As business picks up at Mariel, the company will increase the number of state-of-the-art cranes to 24 STS and 72 RTGs, increasing the unloading capacity from 800,000 containers to 3 million.
As global trade grows, Cuba is betting on its strategically located port to become a hub for companies doing business with the Caribbean, Central America and other parts of Latin America.
The deep-water port is part of Mariel, which also features a duty-free zone and an industrial park with modern facilities and business-friendly tax breaks.
The Cuban government has pledged to guarantee an average investment of 300 U.S. million dollars a year in Mariel, Oscar Perez-Oliva, Mariel's business assessment director, told Xinhua in a recent interview.
The 702 meters long and 14.3 meters deep port can accommodate today's super-sized cargo ships, which transit from Asia through the Panama Canal, and expects to become a major container loading and unloading center for other destinations in the region.
The cranes, as well as the technological support provided by Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei, make the Mariel Container Terminal one of the world's most modern and efficient container terminals.
Each container is identified with a number, and is weighed and scanned with a state-of-the-art system to determine its contents, as part of a so-called "non-intrusive inspection" procedure done at most leading terminals around the globe.
CHINESE INVESTORS
While these Chinese companies have been key contributors to the construction of Cuba's landmark project, other Chinese companies are also expected to enter Mariel, producing goods or providing services.
"There are interested companies that we are working with on different projects and we hope this year we will see a Chinese company present in our zone as a user," said Perez-Oliva.
"Various delegations from our special economic zone and other institutions have made promotional visits to China to meet with representatives of different companies and jointly assess the possibility of establishing Chinese investment in the area as soon as possible," he said.
Mariel officials are working with the Chinese investors in "maturing" projects in the areas of biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and industrial production, according to the director.
He also noted that "there are several advanced negotiations with Chinese investors to set up operations in the area in different forms, either through joint ventures or as 100-percent foreign owned companies."
China is Cuba's second largest trading partner behind Venezuela, with bilateral trade surpassing 2 billion U.S. dollars in 2015.
Numerous Chinese companies are involved in multiple sectors of Cuba's economy, particularly in industry, technology, transportation, biotechnology, agricultural machinery, household appliances and textiles.
People Should Treat Animal Better 人类应当善待动物
体坛英语资讯:China to face Malaysia and India at 2019 Sudirman Cup badminton tournament
国际英语资讯:Syrias return to Arab League not on agenda of Arab summit: spokesman
体坛英语资讯:Iheanacho out of Nigeria squad for AFCON
体坛英语资讯:World champion Gong prevails, Wang shatters Chinas 1500m indoor record
国内英语资讯:Chinas transition to consumer economy makes it more investable: senior investors
国内英语资讯:Chinese, Irish leaders exchange congratulations on 40th anniversary of ties
国内英语资讯:Chinese president to attend G20 summit
国内英语资讯:Chinese cities see improving air quality from Jan. to May
国内英语资讯:China issues standard for community hospital
国内英语资讯:China Focus: African ministers in Beijing to discuss closer cooperation with China
体坛英语资讯:Analysis: German youngsters around Joshua Kimmich taking over
国际英语资讯:Tunisia, Switzerland keen to boost social security coordination
国内英语资讯:China unveils new administrative fee cuts from July
国际英语资讯: Feature: Syrian potter strives to keep craft alive amid war
关于牙齿的小知识
国内英语资讯:Beijing to promote foreign-related legal services
体坛英语资讯:Real Madrid sign Eden Hazard
如何明智地解决家庭冲突?
体坛英语资讯:Two Omani referees at Asian Beach Handball Championship
体坛英语资讯:NBA to present 2 regular-season games in Mexico
国内英语资讯:Key takeaways from China Development Forum 2019 on reform, opening-up
国内英语资讯:Uruguay, China agree to advance bilateral ties
国际英语资讯:Serbia remembers NATO bombing victims 20 years on
体坛英语资讯:Matildas bound for same base as Socceroos ahead of 2019 FIFA Womens World Cup
国际英语资讯:Turkey president says to file issue of Golan Heights to UN
柏林政府下令五年内不得涨房租 违者罚款
New Trend 新时尚
国际英语资讯: U.S. to impose major sanctions against Iran on Monday: Trump
国际英语资讯: AU Peace and Security Council to gather in Morocco on Monday
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |