MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

South America News.

Royal Caribbean in Uruguay

Royal Caribbean experts will be visiting Uruguay in the coming months to inspect the possibility of making this country their base of operations, including the extension of jetties to facilitate the mooring of cruise vessels. According to Uruguayan port authorities who recently visited Royal Caribbean offices in Miami, the project includes building port facilities and parking areas so the huge cruise vessels can disembark passengers directly to a jetty and from there take coaches for local tours. The two ports which have been targeted are Piriápolis and Punta del Este. Currently Royal Caribbean passengers visiting Punta del Este are taken ashore in barges. Piriápolis has an additional advantage and that is its ample parking space which could easily accommodate the 70/80 coaches for the largest cruise vessels. Agustín Aguerre, president of the Uruguayan Ports Authority said that "with an extension of 300 meters we can make Piriápolis a good mooring place for cruises; this will encourage visitors to remain longer in Uruguay". The project also contemplates making Montevideo the supply center for Royal Caribbean cruises, (currently it's Santos in Brazil), but much depends on the financing of the infrastructure and how the Argentine crisis evolves. "If Argentina recovers, cruise demand would become very strong and in that case Royal Caribbean is prepared to change Santos for Montevideo", revealed Mr. Aguerre.As far as resources for regional port reforms, Mr. Aguerre said that "we could finance it jointly with Royal Caribbean".

Corriedale breeders team up

At least 400 Uruguayan Corriedale breeders have teamed up hoping to pool the annual clip with the purpose of looking into other non orthodox ways of trading wool. Mr. Alejandro Gambetta president of the Corriedale Breeders Association said that "we already have the financial support from a local coop bank, and we will be doing a pilot experience with this coming clip". Mr. Gambetta indicated that he believed it was a good moment to experience since wool prices in international markets look stronger and "as Corriedale breeders we already have the successful heavy-lamb project that has been r