Havana Docks Corp. v. Carnival Corp., 19-cv-21724 BLOOM/MCALILEY

• Court: United States District Courts. 11th Circuit. United States District Courts. 11th Circuit. Southern District of Florida
• Writing for the Court: BETH BLOOM UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
• Decision Date: 21 March 2022
• Parties: HAVANA DOCKS CORPORATION, Plaintiff, v. CARNIVAL CORPORATION, Defendant. HAVANA DOCKS CORPORATION, Plaintiff, v. MSC CRUISES SA, MSC CRUISES SA CO, and MSC CRUISES (USA) INC., Defendants. HAVANA DOCKS CORPORATION, Plaintiff, v. ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISES, LTD., Defendant. HAVANA DOCKS CORPORATION, Plaintiff, v. NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE HOLDINGS, LTD., Defendant.
• Docket Number: 19-cv-23590 BLOOM/LOUIS,19-cv-21724 BLOOM/MCALILEY,19-cv-23591 BLOOM/LOUIS,19-cv-23588 BLOOM/LOUIS

HAVANA DOCKS CORPORATION, Plaintiff,
v.
CARNIVAL CORPORATION, Defendant.

HAVANA DOCKS CORPORATION, Plaintiff,
v.
MSC CRUISES SA, MSC CRUISES SA CO, and MSC CRUISES (USA) INC., Defendants.

HAVANA DOCKS CORPORATION, Plaintiff,
v.
ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISES, LTD., Defendant.

HAVANA DOCKS CORPORATION, Plaintiff,
v.
NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE HOLDINGS, LTD., Defendant.

Nos. 19-cv-21724 BLOOM/MCALILEY, 19-cv-23588 BLOOM/LOUIS, 19-cv-23590 BLOOM/LOUIS, 19-cv-23591 BLOOM/LOUIS

United States District Court, S.D. Florida

March 21, 2022

BETH BLOOM UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. STATUTORY AND REGULATORY BACKGROUND .................................................... 6

A. Relevant Statutes .............................................................................................................. 7

1. International Claims Settlement Act ................................................................................ 7

2. Cuban Democracy Act ..................................................................................................... 8

3. LIBERTAD Act ................................................................................................................ 8

4. Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act ................................................. 10

B. Relevant Regulations ...................................................................................................... 10

1. Cuban Asset Control Regulations .................................................................................. 10

2. OFAC's CACR Amendments .......................................................................................... 11

II. PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND .................................................................................... 16

A. Havana Docks' Allegations ............................................................................................ 16

B. The Omnibus Summary Judgment Motions ................................................................... 19

1. Defendants' Omnibus Motion ........................................................................................ 19

2. Havana Docks' Omnibus Motion ................................................................................... 19

C. The Individual Summary Judgment Motions ................................................................. 21

1. Havana Docks ................................................................................................................ 21

2. Carnival .......................................................................................................................... 22

3. MSC ............................................................................................................................... 23

4. Royal Caribbean ............................................................................................................. 23

5. Norwegian ...................................................................................................................... 24

III. MATERIAL FACTS ........................................................................................................... 24

A. Havana Docks ................................................................................................................ 25

B. Confiscation of the Terminal by the Cuban Government .............................................. 29

C. The Concession and the Certified Claim ........................................................................ 30

D. Defendants and Related Entities .................................................................................... 33

1. Carnival .......................................................................................................................... 33

2. MSC ............................................................................................................................... 34

3. Royal Caribbean ............................................................................................................. 35

4. Norwegian ...................................................................................................................... 35

E. Specific and/or General Licenses ................................................................................... 36

1. Carnival .......................................................................................................................... 36

2. MSC ............................................................................................................................... 39

3. Royal Caribbean ............................................................................................................. 40

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4. Norwegian ...................................................................................................................... 42

F. Defendants' Use of the Terminal ....................................................................................... 43

1. Carnival .......................................................................................................................... 43

2. MSC ............................................................................................................................... 44

3. Royal Caribbean ............................................................................................................. 45

4. Norwegian ...................................................................................................................... 45

G. Defendants' Contracts and Payments to Cuban Entities ................................................ 46

1. Carnival .......................................................................................................................... 46

2. MSC ............................................................................................................................... 47

3. Royal Caribbean ............................................................................................................. 48

4. Norwegian ...................................................................................................................... 49

H. Defendants' Shore Excursions ....................................................................................... 50

1. Carnival .......................................................................................................................... 50

2. MSC ............................................................................................................................... 55

3. Royal Caribbean ............................................................................................................. 59

4. Norwegian ...................................................................................................................... 63

I. Havana Docks' Notice ....................................................................................................... 69

J. Defendants' Knowledge of the LIBERTAD Act and the Certified Claim ........................ 69

K. Defendants' Revenues and Profits ................................................................................. 69

1. Carnival .......................................................................................................................... 69

2. MSC ............................................................................................................................... 70

3. Royal Caribbean ............................................................................................................. 71

4. Norwegian ...................................................................................................................... 71

L. Other Cruises to Cuba .................................................................................................... 72

M. Defendants' Experts ....................................................................................................... 72

1. Ambar Diaz .................................................................................................................... 72

2. Julian Ackert ................................................................................................................... 73

IV. LEGAL STANDARD .......................................................................................................... 75

A. Summary Judgment Standard ........................................................................................ 75

B. Daubert Standard ........................................................................................................... 78

C. Review of Report and Recommendation Standard ........................................................ 79

V. DISCUSSION ...................................................................................................................... 80

A. “Person” ......................................................................................................................... 80

B. “Traffics” ........................................................................................................................ 80

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1. Scope of Havana Docks' Claim.....................................................................................82

a) Carnival......................................................................................................................82

b) Royal Caribbean.........................................................................................................83

c) Norwegian..................................................................................................................83

d) MSC................................................................