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• 3 min de lectura
Following the conclusion of the public consultation process related to the modifications approved in the new Cabotage Law (Law N.º 21,774), the Chilean Maritime League (Ligamar) emphasized that the opening of cabotage must be accompanied by a strengthening of the national merchant marine and that its effects should be observed beyond mere competition among operators.
According to how the modifications to the regulatory body were approved at the time, greater participation of foreign vessels in certain cabotage operations, the incorporation of new exceptions to cargo reservation, and the modification of conditions for vessels to be considered Chilean were established.
"This is already established in the law, but it is concerning that the proposed regulations do not include safeguards to maintain and strengthen the inherent maritime capabilities that we currently have as a country," said the president of the Chilean Maritime League, Edmundo González Robles.
Regarding the training of national officers and crew, where Law N° 21,774 states that the State must promote and foster their training, "It is necessary to know how this will be implemented in the new regulations, and how it will relate to the new conditions set for new vessels that may operate under cabotage exceptions," González indicated.
"We believe it is necessary," he continued, "for these regulations to incorporate concrete training and certification actions, so that when the time comes to incorporate national crews, there will be trained Chilean workers to fill those positions," he added.
With respect to the "Exit Route," which will allow foreign vessels entering the country to transport between Chilean ports during their departure from Chile, the Maritime League stated that a fundamental discussion is not being addressed: how to measure the impact on national operators, "especially if foreign vessels that would take advantage of this cabotage already have their main costs covered," the entity specified.
"We believe it is necessary for the authority to implement a periodic measurement system that assesses the effects of this new regime on the national fleet, maritime employment, logistical costs, participation of foreign vessels, and, evidently, connectivity," explained the president of the Chilean Maritime League.
Another objection found in the regulations by Ligamar is the part that discusses the scarcity of Chilean officers and crew. They point out that the authority must establish objective criteria, which are public and verifiable, because "that definition—which is currently addressed superficially—is decisive for how robust or not the National Merchant Marine becomes," he remarked.
Regarding the southern and southern Austral sovereign context, the president of the Chilean Maritime League stated that this entire area has become strategically important for the country, and therefore special consideration must be given to everything that happens there.
González suggested that the authority should consider in the regulations an evaluation of the consequences or effects that will exist in the Lakes, Aysén, and, especially, Magallanes regions, considering connectivity, maritime sovereignty, port development, and Antarctic projection.
"Chile needs its own Merchant Marine, even if maintaining it has a cost, because its strategic value for the country is greater than that cost. And if we want to strengthen our seafarers through training, we must do it well, defining who trains, under what standards, who supervises, and who is responsible. Ultimately, the success of the amendment to the Law and these regulations must translate into and reflect a greater number of vessels under the national flag and a greater number of Chilean seafarers sailing," concluded Edmundo González.
