Chile's Cono Sur elects new 2020-2021 board

Mondaca is public affairs director at San Antonio port, while Carlos Escobar, GM of the Port of Antofogasta, was elected secretary.

Rodrigo Pinto, GM of Arica port, was elected vice president, Juan Marcos Mancilla, logistics manager of Valparaíso port, as second vice president and Alex Winkler, GM of Puerto Montt port, as treasurer.

Mondaca thanked the Cono Sur board for their confidence, welcomed Antofogasta's board-level presence and expressed appreciation to Rodrigo Monsalve, GM of Talcahuano-San Vicente port, the outgoing second vice president.

Challenging time

'With a season that ended early and the crisis of the industry due to COVID-19, this board will have the great challenge of repositioning Chile in the international cruise context,' Mondaca said. As always, we will work together with the tourism authorities and our community to bring cruises back to our coasts safely.'

For his part, Escobar indicated Antofogasta's satisfaction in joining the board as a way of reinforcing the port's commitment to continue creating the conditions that make Chile an attractive destination for cruises and to support regional tourism. In the midst of this health crisis, these efforts need to be strengthened to reduce the impacts in a sector that generates a large number of jobs, he said.

The board was elected during a virtual annual assembly.

Cono Sur consists of the ports of Arica, Iquique, Antofagasta, Valparaíso, San Antonio, Talcahuano-San Vicente, Puerto Montt and Castro, Chacabuco and Punta Arenas (including Puerto Natales and Puerto Williams), together with Inchcape Shipping Services and tour operator DMC Chile.