Havana, May 20 (RHC-AIN) -- The mayor of the U.S. city of Mobile, Alabama, William Sandy Stimpson, is visiting Cuba accompanied by a U.S. delegation, which includes business people and local officials.

During a visit to the Special Development Zone at the western Mariel harbor, the visitors pointed to the potential for increasing bilateral links between Mariel and the port of Mobile.

Mobile is the main port in Alabama and one of the points of departure for exports from the southern United States through the Gulf of Mexico.

The State of Alabama has been a strong advocate of trade with Cuba. The Mobile business community has shown interest in expanding the offer of local products to Cuba and importing Cuban goods, although such imports are  still banned under the over-50-year U.S. economic, commercial and financial blockade of the island nation.