Havana, February 20 (RHC)-- Authorities in Cuba and the ports of Pascagoula and Gulfport, in Mississippi,  signed Monday in Havana two memorandums seeking to promote bilateral cooperation.

Republican Senator William Thad Cochran presided over the signing.  The documents were penned by the general director of the National Ports Administration of Cuba, Manuel Pérez, and representatives of the Port of Pascagoula, Mark McAndrews, and of Gulfport, Jonathan Daniels.

Port of Pascagoula director Mark McAndrews told Radio Havana Cuba that he hoped the memorandums signed will result in an expansion of U.S.-Cuba trade exchange.  He noted that with these two memorandums, there are already seven such documents signed between U.S. ports and the Cuban port authority. 

Two Florida ports -- Everglades and Palm Beach -- saw the signing recently of similar memorandums of understanding with Cuba thwarted by threats from conservative Florida Governor Rick Scott.

In addition to the ports of Pascagoula and Gulfport, in the state of Mississippi, other ports in the U.S. that have signed memorandums of understanding with Cuba are Mobile, Virginia, New Orleans, Lake Charles and South Louisiana.