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Valparaíso Port approves dedicated cruise pierValparaíso Port approves dedicated cruise pier

The Port Company of Valparaíso (EPV) in Chile has approved the modification of its master plan to include the construction of a pier where cruise ships would get priority access.

Anne Kalosh, Editor, Seatrade Cruise News & Senior Associate Editor, Seatrade Cruise Review

May 4, 2018

1 Min Read
Credit: Seatrade Cruise News

The $30m pier was proposed in December by Agencias Universales SA (Agunsa), which operates Valparaíso Passenger Terminal. Agunsa came up with the solution after Valparaíso's cruise calls dropped off due to berthing conflicts with the cargo business.

Berthing for two cruise ships simultaneously

The pier, designed in conjunction with the Dutch engineering firm Royal HaskoningDHV, would be able to handle a pair of 300-meter ships simultaneously, with the possibility to expand for bigger vessels in future. It would be located adjacent to the Valparaíso Passenger Terminal.

Cause for optimism

'The approval of this project means Valparaíso can look to the future with optimism following the harsh contingency we faced during the 2017/18 cruise season, which caused tremendous damage to the city and its population,' Juan Esteban Bilbao, general manager of Valparaíso Passenger Terminal, told local media.

'We are happy for the confidence in our project and the confidence in Agunsa's experience at a global level in the maritime area,' he added.

Following the approval, EPV will move forward with the studies necessary for the pier's design and permitting.

Agunsa and Chilean officials have been in talks with Panama about developing and promoting Pacific cruise itineraries that would also benefit the new cruise terminal under construction at Amador near Panama City. Agunsa has expressed interest in operating that facility. It also manages Ecuador's Manta port, where a new cruise terminal is being built.

In an earlier positive step for Valparaíso, last August EPV reached an agreement with unions that pledged to put an end to delays and disruptions in the service of cruise ships.

Valparaíso's loss has been Puerto Central's gain

The berthing and labor issues resulted in an increasing number of cruise operators switching their calls to nearby San Antonio's Puerto Central.

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cruise terminals

About the Author

Anne Kalosh

Editor, Seatrade Cruise News & Senior Associate Editor, Seatrade Cruise Review

Anne Kalosh covers global stories, reporting both breaking and in-depth news on cruising's significant people, places, ships and trends. A sought-after expert on cruising, she has moderated conferences around the world, including the high-profile State of the Industry panel at Seatrade Cruise Global. She created and led the acclaimed itinerary-planning case study for Seatrade's cruise master classes held at Cambridge and Oxford universities. She has been the cruise columnist for AFAR.com, and her freelance stories have appeared in a wide range of publications, from The New York Times to The Miami Herald.

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