Five get OFAC licenses for U.S.-Cuba ferry service

Companies receiving OFAC licenses include United Caribbean Lines

MAY 6, 2015 — The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) yesterday issued a guidance regarding travel between the United States and Cuba covering on which individuals may be transported between the United States and Cuba by a person that qualifies for the general license to provide carrier services via aircraft or that has received a specific license to provide carrier services via commercial passenger vessel.

According to media reports, at least five companies were yesterday granted OFAC licenses to provide passenger vessel service.

It also seems clear that getting the OFAC licensing is just the beginning of a permitting paper trail that will also involve getting various approvals from Havana.

The five companies that have reportedly received OFAC licenses are:

• Airline Brokers Co. of Miami, FL, a long-time licensed provider of air charter travel to Cuba;
• Baja Ferries USA, a U.S. affiliate of Mexico’s Baja Ferries;
• Havana Ferry Partners, which plans to operate as Cuba Ferry International and provide high-speed, passenger ferry service from Port Everglades and Key West, Florida to Havana, using 300 passenger high speed wave piercers
• United Caribbean Lines, which is headed by cruise industry veteran Bruce Nierenberg and which plans to use overnight ferry vessels with over 400 cabins and capacity for 1,500 passengers; and
• America Cruise Ferries of Puerto Rico.

Download the OFAC guidance HERE