MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Breaking News from Pta. Arenas.

Headlines:
Antarctic season to begin from Puerto Williams; Unemployment in Punta Arenas drops to 5,9%; New Hereford Association president; Budget increase for Chilean Antarctic research; Large iceberg redrafts Antarctic charts.

Antarctic season to begin from Puerto Williams

Next November 21 the Russian cruise vessel Aleksey Maryshev which operates for Chilean based Antarctica XXI will open the official Antarctic season leaving from Puerto Williams in Chilean Tierra del Fuego instead of Ushuaia in Argentina. "The Russian cruise will also end the season calling in Puerto Williams", revealed Jaime Vázquez partner and president of Antarctica XXI. However Mr. Vazquez pointed out that a permanent logistics support during the four months summer season is needed to ensure Puerto Williams becomes a regular call port. "As a region a proper maritime chandlery service becomes crucial". Mr. Vazquez also revealed that in a recent visit to Holland he met with representatives from Oceanwide Expeditions that charter cruise vessels and they considered the possibility of using Chilean shipyards for the maintenance of their vessels. Antarctica XXI began in 2003 with one cruise; last year they increased to three, in 2005 to five and for the coming 2006 season they are programming eight.

Unemployment in Punta Arenas drops to 5,9%

Punta Arenas concentrates 80% of the unemployed in Magallanes Region, predominantly in the construction industry according to the latest release from the Chilean Statistics Office. Unemployment in the region during the mobile quarter February-April was 5,9% which represents a considerable drop from the same period a year ago when it stood at 6,5%. "One of the areas where unemployment has remained unchanged or increased during several quarters is the construction industry, and it's an area where the government will probably concentrate incentives", revealed Jose Parada head of the Statistics Office regional branch. On the other hand a strong activity surge has been experienced in "manufacturing, transport, food industry, fisheries and textiles, with agriculture and social and community services remaining unchanged". The total number of occupied persons in Magallanes reached 62,590 during the Feb./April quarter and the number of unemployed, 3,940 which dropped compared to a year ago, but increased slightly over the previous quarter. The February/April quarter unemployment percentage since 1997 are as follows: 3,3%; 3,7%; 6,5%; 4,8%; 5,6%; 4,8%; 5,9% and 6,5% in 2004. A closer look at the different sectors shows that compared to the previous mobile quarter, January/March 2005, in the Construction industry 720 people lost jobs; while 440 have been absorbed by commerce and retailing; 980 by manufacturing, and transport and communications another 950. The latest employment report indicates that unemployment in certain sectors has been compensated by an increase in the number of people self employed, be it as artisans, home repairs, chauffeurs, etc. Magallanes unemployment figure is among Chile's lowest and well below the national average ranging between 9 and 9,5%.

New Hereford Association president

Luis Mladinic Prieto was elected president of the Magallanes Hereford Association following two periods as vice-president. Mr. Mladinic who will hold the post for two years said that Magallanes is the only region of Chile with an overwhelming rodeo of Hereford which makes it ideal for beef purchasers. The association currently has forty full members in the provinces of Magallanes, Ultima Esperanza and Tierra del Fuego. Hereford was first introduced in Magallanes in 1965.

Budget increase for Chilean Antarctic research

The Chilean Antarctic Institute budget has been increased to over four million US dollars, a significant 19% over the previous period. During the 41st celebration of the institute, Director Jose Retamales also announced a three year research agreement with the Chilean Scientific and Technological Research Committee involving 200,000 US dollars titled "Antarctic Science Research Rings". The agreement will focus in the coming 2007/08 International Polar Year with the Chilean Antarctic Institute contributing with an oceanographic research vessel and Antarctic logistics. Mr. Retamales also announced that the Antarctic Institute is considering studying the potential effects of a temperature increase of 2 to 3 degrees on the islands of King George and South Shetlands where some of Chile's main Antarctic stations are located. "Let's recall that the temperature of theses islands is just 7/8 degrees below that of the Cape Horn archipelago", highlighted Mr. Retamales.

Large iceberg redrafts Antarctic charts

Antarctic maps will have to be redrafted given the imminent collision of the gigantic floating iceberg B-15-A with an extension of ice from the Aviator glacier. Patricio Eberhard, head of the Chilean Antarctic Planning Unit recalled that a similar situation occurred a month ago when the same mass of floating ice run into a five kilometres long extension of the Drygalski glacier. The main iceberg B-15-A in the shape of a bottle is 115 kilometres long with an area of 2.500 square kilometres equivalent to Luxemburg. Actually B-15-A is the remnant of an even larger iceberg B-15 which drifted to the McMurdo bay blocking maritime currents and helping to form a sea of ice.