President Luis Abinader was in Puerto Plata on Friday, 24 February 2023 to inaugurate the second phase of the Taino Bay tourist and cargo terminal in Puerto Plata. The Mexican-Dominican ITM consortium reported investing US$15 million in the expansion.
President Luis Abinader greeted several tourists that had arrived on a cruise ship and were in the terminal when he visited. The Presidency reported two ships docked with around 8,000 passengers on the day the President was in Puerto Plata for the inauguration.
The expansion added a drop-off area for passengers, two restaurants and three bars, 26 commercial establishments, a swimming pool with bar, and a lazy river, a new recreational space for those staying at the terminal.
President Abinader told those attending that the Dominican Republic is becoming the prime cruise tourism hub in the Caribbean. He said the year ended with 1.3 million maritime arrivals. The forecast for 2023 is for almost two million sea arrivals.
Seven cruise lines arrive regularly at the Taino Bay terminal, which has three berths and capacity for 14,000 cruise passengers.
“We are backing all initiatives, we are pro-business, we are pro-jobs and we are pro-development,” emphasized President Abinader.
Mauricio Hamui, CEO of ITM and Taíno Bay, said the terminal handled 300,000 arrivals in 2022 and projects 750,000 for 2023. He estimates this means more than US$100 million in money in circulation for the Dominican Republic. Hamui said the company is working with the Ministry of Culture on the port’s third stage, encompassing improvements at the nearby San Felipe Fortress area in Puerto Plata city.
Hamui announced that on Sundays, when no cruise ships are scheduled to dock, the amenities at the cruise terminal will open to be enjoyed by the families of Puerto Plata.
The director of the Dominican Port Authority, Jean Rodriguez said the government is backing new developments in Samana (Samana Bayport) in the northeast and Port Cabo Rojo in Pedernales, in the southwest. ITM is building the Port Cabo Rojo.
Read more in Spanish:
Dominican Port Authority
El Caribe
28 February 2023