DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic

Banco Popular Dominicano has pledged US$6.2 million to construct a new cruise port in Samaná Bay. Christopher Paniagua, the bank’s executive president, made the announcement during the traditional breakfast event the bank held for media attending FITUR 2025, the Spanish travel fair, in Madrid, Spain.

The total project cost is estimated at US$9.2 million, according to Juan Manuel Martín de Oliva, vice president of Tourism Businesses for the BPD. Nevertheless, he said the project is still in the negotiation phase.

A first cruise ship terminal would have been built in the city of Samana. Nevertheless, in September 2023, the government announced the Puerto Duarte in Arroyo Barril, on the south side of the Samana peninsula, would be converted into a cruise ship terminal, through the facility of public-private trust. The agreement had been signed in March 2023. The agreement was signed with PDAB Port Investments Sociedad Gestora, S.A., represented by Mauricio Hamul. Hamul is the...