The Spanish embassy is closely following the difficulties faced by Spanish fishing companies in the port of Montevideo, some of which have decided to stop operating in Uruguay.
During January (summer high season) Uruguay received 413.780 tourists, 40% more than a year ago, with the Argentines leading the inflow, according to the latest figures released by Migration Office and the Ministry of Tourism.
Uruguayan authorities begun this week surprise and random safety inspections of fishing vessels docked in the port of Montevideo following a succession of fire incidents, mostly involving Korean flagged vessels which were described as “suspicious”.
A Spanish flagged trawler that operates in Falkland Islands waters and was heading to Montevideo to unload 700 tons of fish was denied “innocent pass” through Argentine waters and had to steam an additional 17 hours at a cost of 7,000 litres of fuel before it finally unloaded its cargo in the Uruguayan port.
DUE to planned port developments in the Falkland Islands, fishery executives there appear unworried by Argentina’s most recent attempt to interfere in their fishing industry.
A Spanish flagged trawler that operates in Falkland Islands waters and was heading to Montevideo to unload 700 tons of fish was denied “innocent pass” through Argentine waters and had to steam an additional 17 hours at a cost of 7.000 litres of fuel.
The number of tourists visiting Uruguay during the first half of the year over the same period in 2009, increased 5.5% totalling 1.266.898, while revenue jumped 18.7% in US dollars (878.6 million USD), according to the latest numbers released by the Ministry of Tourism.
Spanish fishing vessel owners have warned Uruguayan port authorities that they are considering leaving the port of Montevideo because of the costly labour disputes with crew members when the vessels dock, taking advantage of a very ‘misbalanced’ legislation.
Royal Caribbean announced that during the coming tourist season several of its ships will make 27 stops between Montevideo and Punta del Este in Uruguay. The announcement was made by Michael Ronan, Royal Caribbean's Vice President of Government Relations, Caribbean, Latin America & Asia, in a meeting with different Uruguayan authorities held in Montevideo.
Alleged labour disputes involving hundreds of thousands of US dollars have left seven Spanish fishing vessels legally stranded in Montevideo, threatening the reputation of Uruguay’s main port to continue as a South Atlantic fisheries hub.