Seven new Russian locomotives arrive in Cuba

HAVANA, Cuba, Dec 24 (ACN) Cuba received on Tuesday from Russia seven new locomotives manufactured by the company Sinara, with which already add 60 equipment delivered as part of an agreement signed between both countries in 2016, which provides for the delivery of 75.

The Cuban Minister of Transport, Eduardo Rodríguez Dávila, present in the port of Havana, declared to the Russian news agency Sputnik that the arrival of these locomotives, model TGM-8KM, places the railroad in a better position to face next year's transportation challenges, and he described this project with the company Sinara, which has been developed as part of the agreements of the Cuba-Russia Intergovernmental Commission, as exemplary.

Rodríguez Dávila stressed that this entity of the Eurasian country and the company Ferrocarriles de Cuba have kept a very good communication, and the result is that the other 53 locomotives that are part of this contract and that are already being operated in Cuba, participate in the main railroad transport traffic.

He added that as part of the agreements between both parties, a group of specialists from Sinara permanently accompany the Cuban side in the technical assistance and maintenance of the locomotives, which makes the technical arrangement optimal.

On the other hand, the Russian commercial representative in Cuba, Alexander Bogatyr, commented to Sputnik the importance of sending these locomotives to the Caribbean country, because it is a sign that direct collaboration is being renewed in such a difficult year as 2020, in reference to the COVID-19 pandemic that has been hitting the world.

"Unfortunately, it is the only delivery of locomotives this year, but we are sure that the next one will be more fruitful," said the executive, and recalled that there are other agreements between both nations in this field, such as the one signed in 2019 between the Union of Cuban Railways and the company RZD (Russian Railways) to modernize the entire Cuban railroad structure.

During Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's recent visit to Cuba on February 5 of this year, the decision was reaffirmed to maintain and strengthen ties and bilateral cooperation between Havana and Moscow, based on Cuba's economic development plans until 2030.
The Russian Ambassador to Cuba, Andrei Guskov, was also present at the reception of the new locomotives, along with other officials from both countries.