MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chilean shipping company weighs a monthly route between Punta Arenas and the Falklands

The visit was organized by the Falkland Islands Development Corporation (FIDC), the territory's economic development body

Chilean company Easter Island Naviera (EIL) is considering establishing a monthly cargo shipping service between Punta Arenas and the Falklands, following a visit to the archipelago in which its representatives held around a dozen meetings with local businesses and presented the project to the Islands' chamber of commerce.

The visit was organized by the Falkland Islands Development Corporation (FIDC), the territory's economic development body. According to the information released, the company would finalize its business plan and could launch the service if follow-up on those contacts confirms sufficient interest from the local private sector.

“There is clearly an interest from Chile in re-establishing a commercial maritime connection with the Falkland Islands. Easter Island Naviera's visit and the positive response from the business community show the seriousness with which this project is being pursued,” said Sam Cockwell, strategic projects manager at the FIDC.

The body's chief executive, Zachary Franklin, credited the progress to commercial exchanges over the past two years. “The visit of a business delegation from Chile, and the visit of the FIDC-led delegation to Punta Arenas and Santiago, significantly helped turn this simple 'good idea' into a real opportunity,” he said. The FIDC has developed those contacts in collaboration with the British Chamber of Commerce in Chile, with reciprocal delegations during 2024 and 2025.

Beyond identifying what cargo Island businesses are looking to ship through Chile, the company also examined options for exporting materials to that country, including scrap metal. Easter Island Naviera currently provides logistical and maritime support between mainland Chile and Rapa Nui, as well as cargo services from Valparaíso to other parts of the country.

The archipelago already maintains commercial links with Chile. Airline LATAM operates the air connection between Punta Arenas and the Mount Pleasant base, and food, fishery products, and various supplies arrive from the mainland.

Several Argentine media outlets linked the initiative to the advance of the oil project in the North Falkland Basin and to the supply of energy infrastructure, although the statements released by the FIDC and the company refer to a commercial connection of a general nature.

The project emerges at a moment of diplomatic friction in the South Atlantic. In recent weeks, Argentina's Foreign Ministry lodged a formal protest with London over the movements of the British patrol vessel HMS Medway, which the United Kingdom attributed to a routine logistics mission, and voiced displeasure at the participation of Chilean Navy personnel in protocol activities during the ship's call at Punta Arenas.