U.S. And Cuba Discuss Rehabilitation of Matanzas Fuel Base

Specialists from the United States (U.S.) and Cuba discussed possible ways of cooperation to rehabilitate the most affected areas of the Supertanker Base in the western province of Matanzas, which was partially destroyed by a fire on August 5.

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The local Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed on Friday in a communiqué that the exchange between the two parties took place on Wednesday.

The deflagration, which lasted for almost a week, collapsed four of eight large tanks of that hydrocarbon deposit in Matanzas.

The Department of International Affairs of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment (Citma) hosted a virtual meeting between Cuban specialists involved in the rehabilitation of the areas affected by the accident at the Matanzas supertanker base and U.S. experts from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Both groups discussed possible ways of cooperation to achieve the rehabilitation of the most affected areas, the Foreign Ministry mentioned in the press release.

The Cuban side, which also included members of the Ministry of Energy and Mines and the Institute of Hydraulic Resources, detailed the main tasks undertaken since the fire was declared extinguished.

In addition, it asked the counterpart for its assessment of the actions already carried out and the possibility of having access to the latest techniques and procedures accumulated by the EPA, as well as by companies linked to the oil sector and other agencies involved in these types of accidents, the communiqué concluded.

The fire at the supertanker base in the industrial zone of Matanzas, the largest of its kind in Cuba, left 16 people dead and 146 injured.