MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Malvinas' flagged vessels ideological solidarity with Argentina costs Uruguay lost jobs and income

Not so long ago: Falklands flagged vessels docked in Montevideo

To the loss of transshipments from Argentina, estimated in 100 million dollars a year by Montevideo port authorities, must be added the 60 million dollars following the ban on Falklands' flagged vessels from operating in Uruguay, claimed Mario Baubeta, president of Uruguay's Navigation Centre.

Baubeta said that this week's resolution from the administration of President Cristina Fernandez banning transshipment of Argentine exports through ports of countries that do not have a maritime agreement represent direct losses equivalent to 100 million dollars because it involves 200.000 containers a year which represent close to 25% of Montevideo's port activity.

But additionally it must be considered that the port of Montevideo has ceased to receive anywhere from 54 to 72 million dollars a year because of the Uruguayan government decision to bar the access of those vessels flying the Malvinas' ('pirate') flag, in solidarity with Argentina's sovereignty claim over the Falkland Islands.

“Each of those Falklands' flagged vessel operating in Montevideo represented 900.000 dollars in direct income” said Jose Pedro Pollak a former member of Uruguay's national administration of ports, ANP, board in his twitter.

This adds up to at least 58 million dollars and 72 million if all Malvinas flagged vessels access the port of Montevideo four times in the season.

“Because of ideological solidarity several Uruguayan families have lost jobs and an estimated 60 million dollars per annum flee to some other ports”, underlined Pollak.