No pressing need for megaport, say Chile agents
Carlos Manterola, vice president of Chile’s National Association of Shipping Agents (Asonave), says that while the organisation is not against the construction of a major new deep water port, “now is not the moment” to make the necessary level of investment. Instead, he would like to see the resources spent on providing a 3.9 kilometre breakwater for the Outer Harbour project at San Antonio.
He pointed out that there is currently no major port protection in the country, which means that up to 70 days per year can be lost, because ships are unable to access berths during bad weather.
The investment could also be successfully shifted towards improving the poor road connections suffered by most of the country’s ports.
Mr Manterola is also keen to seen Terminal 2 at Valparaíso become a reality, which depends on TCVAL acquiring a positive environmental impact assessment. This, he stressed, is a government priority project and one which Asonave would like implemented as soon as possible.
In addition, Mr Manterola wants the Port of Valparaíso to be extended into Barón, which is where the projected Terminal 3 will be built.
A total of 33% of Valparaíso’s GDP comes from the port, he noted, adding that it must be allowed to expand.
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