Havana, May 22 (RHC)-- Cuba has received 56 of 240 rail cars from China worth over $150 million, which will be a critical part of a plan to revive the country’s railway sector.

The rail cars arrived on a Chinese ship at the port of Havana, where a ceremony was attended by Cuban officials and Chinese embassy staff.

Another 24 cars will be delivered within the next two weeks to complete the first lot of 80, which will later be followed by the remaining units.

Cuba is currently engaged in a project to revive its railway network at an expected estimated cost of around $3 billion.

While China is providing the rail cars, Russia is supplying the locomotives and has already sent 43 units.

Among the objectives of the Cuban railway project is the restoration of the connection of passenger trains between the cities of Havana and Holguin, some 770 kilometers east of the capital, which has been paralyzed since 2006.

The train covering this stretch will have the capacity to transport 720 passengers with at least 12 of the Chinese rail cars.