President Luis Abinader was in Punta Cana for the start of construction of the Punta Cana Free Trade Zone (PCFTZ). The free zone is an air, maritime and land logistics center and free trade zone park. The expansion of the Terminal B of the Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ) was also officially begun.
During his visit to Punta Cana on Sunday, 20 February 2022, Abinader was accompanied by Industry & Commerce Minister Victor Bisonó and Tourism Minister David Collado. The PCFTZ is an initiative of the Punta Cana Group that owns the Punta Cana International Airport, that handles the most airlines and passenger volume in the Central American and Caribbean region.
The new venture calls for an investment of more than US$200 million. The PCFTZ will house cargo logistics operations and offices for the development of the Punta Cana Hub for the innovation and development of fintech companies.
With an area of 546,617.45 m2 of land, the project will contribute to the sustained economic growth of the area, creating more than 10,000 jobs and positioning Punta Cana and the Dominican Republic as a leader in international trade and foreign investment.
“Faithful to our commitment to work for the economic and social progress of the Dominican Republic, through the Punta Cana Free Trade Zone and the expansion of Terminal B of the Punta Cana International Airport, we present two initiatives that project the vision of the future with which we are betting on the development of the country,” announced Frank Elias Rainieri, president and CEO of Grupo Puntacana.
The PCFTZ Air, Maritime and Land Logistics Center is built to handle import, export, transshipment and parcel cargo on a 265,518 m² site and 75,000 m² of construction, thus consolidating the process of cargo operations in passenger airplanes.
It will also have a Free Zone Park for the manufacturing and service industry, facilitating the creation of a diversity of businesses on a 185,312 m² site with an approximately 93,820 m² of construction.
The administrative offices of the Punta Cana Free Trade Zone will include the operations of the Customs Agency (DGA), DP World Caucedo and the Free Trade Zone. DP World Caucedo handles port operations in the country’s largest freight port in Punta Caucedo in Santo Domingo province.
The ceremony was blessed by Monsignor Jesús Castro Marte, bishop of the Diocese of Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia, and was attended by José Ignacio Paliza, Administrative Minister of the Presidency; Víctor Bisonó, Minister of Industry and Commerce; David Collado, Minister of Tourism; José Marte Piantini, president of the Civil Aviation Board (JAC), together with other government officials and businesspeople.
Terminal B Expansion: Punta Cana International Airport
The expansion of Terminal B of the Punta Cana International Airport will be carried out with an investment of US$80 million to extend the airport capacity to handle 3 million passengers. This project will cover an area of approximately 25,000 m² and will have seven gates and seven air bridges. Construction is expected to be completed by November 2022. The construction of the expansion is in the hands of local architects and engineers.
“Terminal B will be ready to accommodate the US Immigration and Customs pre-clearance service, which we are sure will be approved due to the competitive advantages it offers the Dominican Republic as a tourist and investment destination,” Rainieri added.
“This work will undoubtedly have a great impact on the economy because of the stimulus it will bring to the growth of tourism, but also to agricultural and industrial exports, the creation of new business and investment opportunities, the generation of jobs and a whole value chain that is favored,” said the chief executive of the Punta Cana Group.
Read more in Spanish:
Hoy
21 February 2022