The 2016//17 cruise season for the Magallanes region in the extreme south of Chile will see a drop in the number of calls, from 121 to 86, of which 83 in Punta Arenas and 3 in Puerto Natales, according to the schedule published by Punta Arenas port authority, Austral Port Company, EPA, website.
Sailors and Royal Marines from Ice Patrol HMS Protector participated on Sunday in a major parade in Punta Arenas, next to members from the Chilean Navy, local Fire fighters and two schools, as part of the commemorations to honor pilot Luis Pardo Villalón, the Chilean navy officer who a century ago rescued the 22 survivors of Sir Ernest Shackleton's expedition Endurance.
Punta Arenas airport is planning to double the area of the passengers' terminal and increase the number of jet bridges from three to five, as part of a major expansion program given the increase in annual commercial traffic at the President Carlos Ibañez del Campo Airport, which has been double the Chilean average.
Starting this Monday and until 4 May, the Chilean navy is celebrating the Month of the Sea, edition 2016, and has chosen Punta Arenas in the extreme south of the country as the epicenter of the event which includes the visit of president Michelle Bachelet on 3 May.
A symbolic ceremony launching the reconstruction of Brazil's Comandante Ferraz Antarctic base was held at the Chilean Antarctic Institute in Punta Arenas with the attendance of top officials from both countries. The Brazilian base, located in King George Island was a total loss back in February 2012 caused by a fire that started at the power room.
Punta Arenas in the extreme south of Chile is encouraged by the cruise industry prospects for its port and facilities: this season Norwegian Sun has returned with at least ten calls and for 2016/2017 a line will be cruising to Antarctica with Punta Arenas as a home port.
A Philippine crew member from the Norwegian Sun cruise vessel jumped overboard before reaching a port in South Chile and has been declared 'disappeared' by the Chilean navy which organized a rescue operation.
Chile's flag carrier Lan is celebrating this week the seven decades of its first commercial flight between Santiago and Punta Arenas, extreme south of the country, opening the region to closer trade, tourism and investment opportunities. Actually Lan in the thirties and forties, when the company was first starting did in effect make regional flights from Punta Arenas to nearby places mostly on rough landing strips.
Chile anticipates a 30% increase in cruise activity in the extreme south of the country, mainly Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales, announced Lorena Araya, head of Magallanes region National Tourism Service, Sernatur.
An indication of interest has been forthcoming from Chile's flag carrier LAN in relation to bringing in a larger aircraft to cope with the volume of passengers and freight to the Falkland Islands.