Alan Lam reporting
On Friday, 25 November, Chilean port of Valparaíso inaugurated its much-anticipated, brand new 5,300m2 passenger terminal.
Owing to its geographical position, Valparaíso struggles to gain traction in contemporary cruise business, despite being Chile’s top seaborne passenger port. This season it expects to welcome about 100,000 cruise guests, which will require substantial passenger service facilities.
The new terminal, Valparaíso Terminal de Pasajeros (VTP), cost the investors more than US$8 million. It is equipped with the latest passenger service technology, capable of handling 6,000 passengers simultaneously, (3,000 embarking and another 3,000 disembarking). It has a total surface space of 15,000m2, including 26 bus bays and 50 car parking spaces.
The Insignia of Oceania Cruises and the Norwegian Sun of Norwegian Cruise Line were the first cruise vessels to call at this new terminal in recent weeks.
Despite facing a multitude of challenges, Chile is determined to develop its cruise industry. The new terminal marks a new beginning for Chilean cruise business as a whole, which is gaining recognition as an important contributor to the country’s economy in general. The inaugural ceremony was attended by a myriad of dignitaries, among them were Carlos Melo, Under-Secretary of Transport, Jaime Varas, Mayor of Valparaíso, Hernán Santiváñez, Counsel General of Argentina, and Sebastián Montero Lira, Executive Director of Southern Cone Ports Corporation (Corporación de Puertos del Cono Sur).
“The inauguration of this new passenger terminal is of utmost important for the development of Valparaíso in general,” said Jaime Varas, “no only from the point of view of the cruise tourism, but also that of the general development of the city.
Like most other modern cruise terminals, the VTP will also serve as a venue for conventions, events and festivities when not used as a cruise terminal.
