Cuba
General Information for Cuba
Geo-political:
Capital City: Havana. 23° 07.00′ N, 082° 21.00′ W
Nationality: (noun) Cuban(s), (adjective) Cuban.
Population: 11,059,062 (July 2020).
Communications:
International Direct Dial Code: 53.
Number of Internal Airports: 133 (2017).
Major Languages Spoken: Spanish (official).
Economy:
Currency: 1 Cuban Peso (CUP) of 100 Centavos.
Exchange Rates:
(as of November 2020)
USD 1.00 = CUP 26.50
CUP 1.00 = USD 0.04
Exchange rates under licence from
XE.com
Main Industries: Petroleum, nickel, cobalt, pharmaceuticals, tobacco, construction, steel, cement,
agricultural machinery and sugar.
Agricultural Products: Sugar, tobacco, citrus, coffee, rice, potatoes, beans and livestock.
Imports: Petroleum, food, machinery, equipment and chemicals.
Exports: Petroleum, nickel, medical products, sugar, tobacco, fish, citrus and coffee.
Commodities: Crude: Production 50,000 bbl/d. Imports 112,400 bbl/d. Reserves 124,000,000 bbl. Products: Production 104,100 bbl/d.
Exports 24,190 bbl/d. Imports 52,750 bbl/d. LNG: Production 1,189,000,000 cu.m.. Reserves 70,790,000,000 cu.m..
Environment:
Territorial Sea: 12 n.m.
Contiguous Zone: Contiguous Zone: 24 n.m. Exclusive Economic Zone: 200 n.m.
Coastline Extent: 3,735 km.
Climate: Tropical; moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to April); rainy season (May
to October).
Natural Resources: Cobalt, nickel, iron ore, chromium, copper, salt, timber, silica, petroleum and arable
land.
Natural Hazards: The east coast is subject to hurricanes from August to November (in general, the country
averages about one hurricane every other year) and droughts are common.
Terrain: Mostly flat to rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountains in the southeast.
Average Temperatures:
| Month | High | Low |
|---|---|---|
| January | 27° C | 18° C |
| June | 30° C | 23° C |
| September | 30° C | 23° C |
DOCUMENTS:
The following documents are required for clearance inwards:
Agent:
Cargo Manifest
2 Cargo Plans
5 Crew Lists
Ship's Particulars
Captain of the Port:
3 Crew Lists
Ports of Call List
Ship's Register (for inspection on arrival)*
Customs:
Cargo Manifest
Crew Effects Declaration
2 Crew Lists
Dangerous Goods Declaration
General Declaration
Last Port Clearance
Passenger List
Ports of Call List
Ship's Particulars
Stores List
Sanitary:
Ports of Call List
Provisions List
Ship Sanitation Control (Exemption) Certificate
Stowage Plan (cargo)
Veterinary:
Ports of Call List
Provisions List
The following certificates are required for inspection on arrival:
International Load Line Certificate
Registry Certificate
Ship Safety Construction Certificate
Ship Sanitation Control (Exemption) Certificate
Ship Safety Equipment Certificate
Ship Safety Radio Certificate
Also see "
Pre-Arrival Information".
PILOTAGE:
Compulsory for all foreign vessels for entry and departure, berthing, casting-off
and towing. Pilotage is provided by Practicos de Cuba. Tel: +53 (7) 860 8516. Fax; +53 (7) 866 8756.
www.practicosdecuba.transnet.cu/
PRATIQUE:
Free pratique is automatic for vessels coming direct from another Cuban port; from
foreign countries, usual procedure of sanitary inspection applies. In case of suspected
disease or fever on board, Master must advise Empresa Consignataria Mambisa in order
to advise Port Health.
Vessels coming from countries affected by aphthous fever or bovine plague are subject
to fumigation, including crew members'/passengers' clothes and shoes; therefore it
is advisable to have clothes/shoes gathered in an appropriate space or cabin, in order
to speed up fumigation.
Vegetable or animal products are subject to inspection before cargo is allowed to
be discharged.
All crew members and passengers must have vaccination cards up to date.
The Pan American Sanitary Code:
Established by the signatory governments of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa
Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Panama,
Paraguay, Peru, United States of America, Uruguay, and Venezuela, being desirous of
entering into a sanitary convention for the purpose of better promoting and protecting
the public health of their respective nations, and particularly to the end that effective
cooperative international measures may be applied for the prevention of the international
spread of the communicable infections of human beings and to facilitate international
commerce and communication. Full details available from the Pan American Health Organization
website.
www.paho.org/
Bills of Health:
- The Master of any vessel or aircraft which proceeds to a port of any of the signatory governments is required to obtain at the port of departure and ports of call, a Bill of Health, in duplicate, issued in accordance with the information set forth in the appendix and adopted as the standard Bill of Health.
- The Bill of Health will be accompanied by a list of the passengers, and stowaways if any, which shall indicate the port where they embarked and the port to which they are destined, and a list of the crew.
- Consuls and other officials signing or countersigning Bills of Health should keep themselves accurately informed with respect to the sanitary conditions of the ports, and the manner in which this code is obeyed by vessels and their passengers and crews while therein. They should have accurate knowledge of local mortality and morbidity, and of sanitary conditions which may affect vessels in port. To this end, they shall be furnished with any information they request pertaining to sanitary records, harbours, and vessels.
- The signatory governments may assign medical or sanitary officers as public health attaches to embassies or legations, and as representatives to international conferences.
- If at the port of departure there is no consul or consular agent of the country of destination, the Bill of Health may be issued by the consul or consular agent of a friendly government authorised to issue such Bill of Health.
- The Bill of Health should be issued not to exceed 48 hours before the departure of the ship to which it is issued. The sanitary visa should not be given more than 24 hours before departure.
- Any erasure or alteration of a Bill of Health shall invalidate the document, unless such alteration or erasure shall be made by competent authority, and notation thereof appropriately made.
- A clean Bill of Health is one which shows the complete absence in the port of departure of cholera, yellow fever, plague, typhus fever, or of other pestilential disease in severe epidemic form, liable to be transported by international commerce. Provided that the presence only of bona fide imported cases of such disease, when properly isolated, shall not compel the issuance of a foul Bill of Health, but notation of the presence of such cases will be made under the heading of "Remarks" on the Bill of Health.
- A foul Bill of Health is one which shows the presence of non-imported cases of any of the diseases referred to in 8. above.
- Specific Bills of Health are not required of vessels which, by reason of accident, storm or other emergency condition, including wireless change of itinerary, are obliged to put into ports other than their original destinations, but such vessels shall be required to exhibit such Bills of Health as they possess.
- It shall be the duty of the Pan American Sanitary Bureau to publish appropriate information which may be distributed by port health officers, for the purpose of instructing owners, agents, and masters of vessels as to the methods which should be put in force by them for the prevention of the international spread of disease.
Other Sanitary Documents:
Every vessel, carrying a medical officer will maintain a sanitary log which will be
kept by him, and he will record therein daily: the sanitary condition of the vessel,
and its passengers and crew; a record showing the names of passengers and crew which
have been vaccinated by him; name, age, nationality, home address, occupation and
nature of illness or injury of all passengers and crew treated during the voyage;
the source and sanitary quality of the drinking water of the vessel, the place where
taken on board, and the method in use on board for its purification; sanitary conditions
observed in ports visited during the voyage; the measures taken to prevent the ingress
and egress of rodents to and from the vessel; and the measures which have been taken
to protect the passengers and crew against mosquitoes, other insects, and vermin.
The sanitary log will be signed by the Master and medical officer of the vessel, and
will be exhibited upon the request of any sanitary or consular officer. In the absence
of a medical officer, the master shall record the above information in the log of
the vessel, insofar as possible.
Equal or similar forms for Quarantine Declarations, Certificates of Fumigation, and
Certificates of Vaccination, set forth in the appendix (not reproduced), are hereby
adopted as standard forms.
PRE-ARRIVAL INFORMATION:
Vessel should send ETA to Empresa Consignataria Mambisa (Agency) Havana and send additionally
to Empresa Consignataria Mambisa at the relevant port if latter is the first port
of call in Cuba. All vessels approaching Cuban ports should call the relevant Port
Signal Station on VHF Channel 16, or by light signals, to announce their presence,
nationality and characteristics.
Empresa Consignataria Mambisa. Tel: +53 (7) 862 2061. Fax: +53 (7) 866 8111.
Advance pre-arrival information can be submitted to Customs electronically via the
Tramitacion Electronica de Documentos (Tredis) website, and includes the submission
of IMO FAL Forms 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7. User log-in is required. Access is available
at
www.aduana.co.cu/
CARGO OPERATIONS:
- For live animals and animal product import requirements:
Instituto de Medicina Veterinaria (Institute of Veterinary Medicine), Calle 12 #355 E/ 15 y 17, Plaza de la Revolucion, Ciudad de la Habana, Cuba CP 10400. Tel: +53 (7) 833 7077. [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]
- For plant and plant product import requirements:
Centro Nacional de Sanidad Vegetal (National Plant Health Center), Ministerio de Agricultura (Ministry of Agriculture), Ayuntamiento No. 231, e/ Lombillo y San Pedro, Plaza de la Revolucion, Ciudad de la Habana, Cuba. Tel: +53 (7) 879 1339, 870 0925, 881 5089. Fax: +53 (7) 870 3277. [email protected] [email protected]
- The Cuban Chamber of Commerce website offers information on their trade services, directories, and numerous links to other useful Cuban websites. In Spanish only. www.camaracuba.cu/
MEDICAL:
The medical facilities in Havana are better than those available elsewhere in Cuba,
but it is sometimes necessary to medically evacuate those who require urgent specialist
care; this can be very expensive. If you require medical treatment you will be expected
to pay in hard currency; a basic hospital stay can cost as much as USD325 per day
plus medical expenses. Psychiatric care facilities for foreigners are extremely limited
and difficult to access. Make sure you have adequate health insurance and accessible
funds to cover the cost of any medical treatment abroad and repatriation.
Many medicines are unavailable in Cuba so you should bring any prescription drugs
you take regularly. A copy of the prescription and a letter from your doctor explaining
your condition can be helpful at Customs.
The Cuban authorities reported an outbreak of cholera in Cuba from June to August
2012. In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy which hit eastern Cuba in October 2012,
you are advised to remain vigilant, monitor local reporting and take sensible precautions
regarding water, food and personal hygiene. If you suffer from diarrhoea seek immediate
medical attention.
In the 2010 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated
that around 7,000 adults aged 15 or over in Cuba were living with HIV; the prevalence
percentage was estimated at around 0.1% of the adult population compared to the prevalence
percentage in adults in the UK of around 0.2%. You should exercise normal precautions
to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS.
Also see "
General".
WEATHER/TIDES:
The hurricane season in Cuba normally runs from June to November. The progress of
storms can be monitored on the US National Hurricane Center website at
www.nhc.noaa.gov./
Also see "
General".
BANKS:
Cuba operates a dual currency system. Visitors use the Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC),
as opposed to the Cuban Peso (CUP) used by locals.
Check with your bank to confirm that your debit/credit/ATM cards will work and will
be accepted in Cuba. If your bank cannot confirm this then you should bring suitable
alternatives (such as USD, GBP, EUR), preferably in the form of travellers’ cheques.
There are virtually no ATMs available for drawing cash against Cirrus or Switch cards.
Credit card transactions, including withdrawals from ATMs, are subject to local commission
charges of between 11%-13%.
US Dollars are no longer accepted as payment, and you will be charged 10% commission
to exchange them. American Express travellers' cheques are not accepted in Cuba. Travellers'
cheques and/or credit cards drawn on American banks are also not accepted in Cuba.
Do not change money anywhere other than at the airport Cadecas, hotel exchange bureaux
or banks, due to the prevalence of forged currency. Individuals offering exchange
facilities to avoid queues should be avoided, and where possible small denomination
bills should be requested.
Also see "
General".
CUSTOMS:
Information regarding Customs clearance, legislation, requirements, procedures, and
other useful information is available in Spanish and English at
www.aduana.co.cu/
Aduana General de la Republic.
[email protected]
SHORE LEAVE:
Crime is on the increase. Theft from luggage during baggage handling, both on arrival
and departure, is common. Remove all valuables, lock suitcases and consider having
them shrink-wrapped before check-in. Take precautions if you are in Central Havana
at night.
Take a taxi to your accommodation rather than walk, even if your accommodation is
only a few blocks away.
Beware of pickpockets and bag-snatchers, especially in Old Havana, on buses and trains,
at major tourist sites and in nightclubs. Don’t carry large amounts of cash; avoid
wearing ostentatious or expensive jewellery; leave travellers' cheques, credit cards,
passports and other important documents in a safe deposit or similar. Carry a copy
of your passport and lock the original away with other valuables.
Also see "
General".
REPATRIATION:
You must pay an airport departure tax, in local currency of Cuban Convertible Peso
(CUC) 25 per person when leaving Cuba.
Consider using baggage plastic-wrapping facilities when travelling to and from Cuba
as there have been instances of theft from luggage, even if locked, at Cuban airports
on arrival and departure.
Cuba is increasingly being used as a transit country for drugs destined for Europe.
Cuban courts are handing out severe penalties (in excess of twenty years) for drugs-related
offences. Pack all luggage yourself and don’t carry any items that do not belong to
you.
Cuba prohibits the import of all meat products and fruit. If you arrive in Cuba with
any meat or fruit it will be confiscated and destroyed.
Also see "
General".
GENERAL:
Information obtained from the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office website. Updates available
at
www.gov.uk/fco/
AGENCY:
Empresa Consignataria Mambisa, Oficina Central, San Jose No. 65, c/ Prado y Zulucta,
Edificio Payret, Habana, Cuba. Tel: +53 (7) 862 2062/5, 862 7254, 862 7138, 861 5590.
Fax: +53 (7) 866 8111.
[email protected]
AUTHORITY:
Ministerio del Transporte, Ave Carlos Manuel de Cespedes s/n, entre Tulipan y Lombillo,
Ciudad de la Habana CP 10600, Cuba.
T: +53 (7) 855 5030.
F: +53 (7) 884 1105. [email protected] www.cubagob.cu
Contact: Direccion de Transporte Maritimo y Fluvial. [email protected]
AGENT:
Ministerio del Transporte, Empresa Consignataria Mambisa, Oficina Central, San Jose
No. 65, c/ Prado y Zulucta, Edificio Payret, Havana, Cuba. T: +53 (7) 862 7138, 862 2061.
F: +53 (7) 866 8111. Tlx: 511829, 511890. [email protected] www.cubagov.cu
Contact: General Manager. [email protected]
