MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

New auction for Pardhelas Co. fishing vessels in P. Arenas

Next October two fishing vessels which figure as registered in the Falkland Islands will be auctioned for the second time to cover debts owed by Pardhelas Fishing Company to a maritime supplier from Punta Arenas in the extreme south of Chile.

The two vessels, Pardelhas (61.4 meters long) and Almourol (62.4 meters long) have been under litigation since November 2000 when a Punta Arenas court ordered the seizure of the vessels pending a 165.000 US dollars debt to local maritime supplier Ultramar. In 2003 Punta Arenas Maritime authorities ordered vessels to be anchored in the bay and crews sent ashore because of safety reasons. Since then Pardelhas has grounded but Almourol remains afloat, although most of the engines and auxiliary equipment has been removed. According to auction conditions, also published in Portugal and the Falklands, Pardhelas debt now stands at 96.854 US dollars and Almourol, 139.412 US dollars. Besides Ultramar other creditors include the Broom maritime agency and the Asmar Magallanes dry dock. A first auction a few months ago was declared deserted. The only possible destination for the vessels is to be broken up. When the litigation process first became public Falkland Islands' Registrar John Rowland said that the Pardelhas Fishing Company would be struck off the list of registered companies in the Islands, after local director, Roger Edwards, and Company Secretary, Kevin Kilmartin resigned their posts. The remaining Company Directors, who are Portuguese hadn't answered any correspondence from the Registrar General, revealed Rowland in September 2004. According to Rowland a provision in the law allowed a Company to be removed from the register in such circumstances.