Silver Cloud to call at Puerto Cisnes after a decade of efforts

After a decade of public and private efforts, the town of Puerto Cisnes is preparing to receive, for the first time, the call of a premium cruise ship, formally opening a new stop for international cruise tourism in the southern channels. This will happen after a decade of efforts by local authorities and Empresa Portuaria Chacabuco (Emporcha).

The vessel confirmed for this historic call is the Silver Cloud. This is an expedition ship belonging to the renowned international chain Silversea, which operates with a capacity of about 300 passengers and around 200 crew members, characterized by a high-spending and nature-oriented profile.

The arrival not only represents the consolidation of a new destination in the routes connecting Patagonia, but also the operational validation of the Puerto Cisnes Connectivity Terminal, a public infrastructure managed by Emporcha through a tripartite agreement with the Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications (MTT) and the Directorate of Port Works (DOP).

Strategy

The president of Emporcha, Eduardo Vera, explained that this opening to the cruise market responds to an articulated and long-term work plan with the local municipality, aimed at building trust with international shipping operators.

"We have formally informed Mayor Francisco Roncagliolo that an almost decade-long management effort is yielding concrete results. We have managed to win a bet of reliability in the community management of Cisnes to receive a premium cruise ship in a few months. This opens up the real possibility of perpetuating a business of receiving international cruise tourism passengers." Vera added that the achievement reflects "pragmatic, transparent, and reliable management, aimed at delivering concrete results to local communities and regional economic development."

For his part, the Mayor of Cisnes, Francisco Roncagliolo, highlighted the impact of public investment that prepared the commune for this competitive leap in the services sector: "This result shows the fruit of ten years of work, where we executed key works such as the Costanera, the paving of streets, and the passenger service facility. All that infrastructure was conceived with the expectation of attracting cruise ships. Today that projection is materialized and challenges us as a commune to be excellent hosts to boost local commerce, crafts, and services."

Pier

From an operational and asset management perspective, the arrival of tourist ships allows for the diversification of income and the use of existing infrastructure, which was originally conceived for regional connectivity and cabotage.

The general manager of Emporcha, Felipe Candia, specified the technical specifications of the terminal and the value proposition for the shipping industry: "As a port company, we manage this terminal built by the DOP, which consists of a floating pier and an area of more than 500 square meters. This infrastructure not only guarantees local connectivity, but now demonstrates its operational capacity to diversify its use and provide complementary services to the cruise segment."

The executive stressed that the facilities have passenger flow, sanitary, and service areas that ensure the standards required by international lines: "We are prepared to serve the Silver Cloud and ensure an excellent on-shore experience for visitors, consolidating the operational efficiency of the facility."

With this operational debut, the state-owned Emporcha and the commune of Cisnes seek to position the area not only as a logistical point of connectivity, but also as a profitable hub for high-end expedition tourism in the Southern Cone.