MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Recovery of Punta Arenas port

Recovery of Punta Arenas port

A committee of regional government and private sector representatives are working to recover Punta Arenas port which apparently has lost much of the fisheries business and transhipment to Falklands and Montevideo, reports the local press.

Besides an endemic problem of high costs, mainly harbour fares, according to some of the local unions, Punta Arenas began having trouble in 1994 when twelve local fishing vessels left the area leaving 500 seamen redundant plus an annual revenue loss estimated in six million US dollars. The situation worsened in 1997 when several fishing companies went bust.

However, if costs could be adjusted and filleting and fish processing promoted, Mr. Leonardo Castex president of the local Maritime Chamber believes Punta Arenas has a promising future.

Mr. Castex mentioned particularly the Spanish vessels fishing in the South Atlantic that adjusted costs by "transhipping and reefing in a sheltered bay in the Falklands" (Berkeley Sound?).

"And when the season is over, the Spaniards leave mainly for Montevideo to dock their vessels, which is not as secure as Punta Arenas, and besides we have all the facilities".

But in spite of these difficulties Mr. Castex is confident that with the development of the local methane industry, Chilean Petroleum company ENAP and the local shipyards, in the long term Punta Arenas has every chance to recover.

In 2000, Punta Arenas moved 460,071 tons of cargo, an 11,81% over 1999, according to local port authorities.