Trump DOJ Supports Cuba Lawsuit Against Cruise Lines

Above, Havana's Sierra Maestra cruise terminal. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Politics, including international trade relations, sometimes makes strange bedfellows, even involving lawsuits.

The following article caught my attention by its headline, "Trump DOJ Supports Cuba Lawsuit Against Cruise Lines".

This involves dock facilities at Havana Port that were confiscated by Cuba's communist government. I took a cruise to Havana back in April 2019 and the ship, Majesty of the Seas of Royal Caribbean, used those dock facilities after our arrival. President Trump ended vacation cruises to Cuba in June 2019.

According to Seatrade Cruise News:

The US Department of Justice wants the Supreme Court to review an appeals court decision that sided mostly with cruise lines sued for using Havana docks which had been confiscated by Cuba's communist government.

The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in October 2024 ruled mostly in favor of cruise companies that were sued under under Title III of the Helms-Burton or Libertad Act which allows US nationals to seek compensation for property taken over by Cuba. The US national, Havana Docks, held a concession to operate facilities that were used by Carnival Corp., Royal Caribbean Group, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings and MSC Cruises.  

Appeals court decision

The appeals court determined the property of Havana Docks confiscated by Cuba was the concession right to operate and profit from the docks for 99 years, which was set to expire in 2004. The facilities were used by the cruise lines from 2016 to 2019. The court said Havana Docks did not own the real property but had the concession right to operate and benefit from the port.

Above, yours truly at Havana Port just after our arrival.

To read more, go here.