Havana/“We discussed with our Cuban partners that Russian companies would have access to the management of industrial companies in the Republic (of Cuba),” he said yesterday, Friday. for state agency RIA Novosti, the Russian Deputy Minister of Industry, Roman Chekushov, who is in Havana as part of a delegation chaired by the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Riabkov.
Last Thursday, Chekushov had stated for the same medium that both parties have agreed on “an energy supply plan” as a basis to reactivate production at the Cuban metallurgical plant.
“We will try to launch the production of rolled products once the small remaining outstanding debt is paid off, which will increase the turnover of the sale of metallurgical products and will allow us to continue developing that business with that money,” said the Russian official.
Chekushov stressed that Cuba’s current economic priority is the restoration of normal electricity supply. “All industrial projects are linked to this,” he said.
We discussed with our Cuban partners that Russian companies would have access to the management of industrial companies in the Republic
The most important project within this bilateral cooperation is the modernization of the Antillana de Acero José Martí metallurgical plant, whose rehabilitation was agreed upon in 2015 between both governments. According to the Russian official, the contract is 93% executed in terms of value, which he described as “practically the end.”
The completion of the project would allow an annual production of about 160,000 tons of rolled steel, in a context in which Cuban heavy industry has operated for years with serious energy and investment limitations.
He also pointed out that in the case of the assembly of Russian vehicles in Cuba – suspended last month as a result of the energy crisis – barely one year after its release–, it is expected to resume once the power supply returns to normal.
The Russian Vice Chancellor, Sergei Riabkov, at a press conference after his meeting with the Cuban presidentMiguel Díaz-Canel, last Thursday, said: “Guaranteeing the energy security of the Island is a priority. It is premature to talk about the next steps. It is widely known that we are not limited to the supply of the batch of oil that has already arrived on the tanker. Anatoly Kolodkin“.
A second tanker loaded with 251,000 barrels of diesel and coming from the Baltic port of Vysotsk is heading towards the Caribbean, probably Cuba
After arrival in Cuba on March 30 of the russian tanker Anatoly Kolodkinwith 100,000 tons of oil, a second shipment appears to be already en route to the Caribbean.
However, Riabkov did not confirm the departure of the second Russian tanker. promised a few days before by the Minister of Energy, Sergei Tsiviliov, who boasted of having “broken the energy blockade” imposed by Washington.
According to maritime tracking agencies, the tanker Universalloaded with 320,000 barrels of fuel and coming from the Baltic port of Vysotsk, has just crossed the English Channel and is heading towards the Caribbean, with an arrival date of April 23, probably to Cuba, although it maintains a secret about its final destination, as do all Russian ships sanctioned by the United States and Europe.
