Havana, October 2 (AIN-RHC) -- For over fifty years now, Washington has tried to paralyze the Cuban transport system by stiffening its commercial, economic and financial blockade, which from April 2013 to date has inflicted damage on the sector calculated at 540 million dollars, said Transport minister Cesar Arocha.

In statements to Prensa Latina news agency, the minister referred to the impact of the blockade on land, maritime and air transportation.

The railroad sector faces difficulties to purchase crucial spare parts, while the high costs of such components have had a negative impact on maintenance and repairs of local railroad transportation equipment.

Regarding air transportation, the difficulties go as far as affecting the purchase by Cuba of catering products in other countries. Cuban companies cannot purchase modern technology, parts and accessories in the United States; add to this the limitations imposed on Cuban companies to overfly U.S. territory through direct and more economical routes.

Meanwhile, the maritime sector faces difficulties like the ban on third countries to hire Cuban personnel for their boats. Washington's blockade also punishes those ships that call at Cuban ports, thus affecting the island's foreign trade, while obstacles are raised to prevent cruise ships from coming to the island.

These sanctions join the Cuban travel ban imposed on US citizens, which also prevents the transportation sector from earning tens of millions of dollars each year.

The U.S. blockade of Cuba was established by Washington in 1962, which officially opened the U.S.'s hostile policy that has prevailed since 1959.