MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Ushuaia celebrates the extension of its port terminal docking capacity

Minister Sergio Massa and Tierra del Fuego governor, Gustavo Melella

It's election time in Argentina and only a few weeks left, so ribbon cutting and inauguration of public works has become one of the main jobs of government officials. That is what happened over the weekend in Ushuaia during the ceremony, via video conference with Buenos Aires, officially opening the extension of the port terminal, an additional 104 meters docking capacity, together with equipment and increased storage facilities.

In Buenos Aires, the current Argentine cabinet strong man and incumbent presidential candidate, Sergio Massa, who has promised the current administration of Alberto Fernandez and Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner that he will be able to obtain the necessary Yuans from China or US dollars from the IMF, to prevent the Argentine economy from again melting as happened some twenty years ago, together with federal Transport and Public Works ministers, Diego Giuliano and Gabriel Katopodis underlined the event, while in Ushuaia, governor Gustavo Melella and his provincial cabinet were also part of the local celebration.

Governor Melella said that the extended port with a 20% docking capacity increase will ensure the economic development of the extreme south province with the arrival of new, larger vessels.

“The work was tendered by the previous government 2015/19, the contract was signed and an initial sum was paid...but the company disappeared. With the new government in 2019, we restructured the whole project and with federal and provincial funds we invited a new tender, and finally we have been able to make this inauguration,” pointed out the governor.

“We now have an extra 104 meters of docking space, essential for the cruise season, and in making Ushuaia strategic in the South Atlantic, as the gate terminal to access Antarctica. We not only receive high seas fishing vessels but also cruises, sponsoring the tourism industry in the province”.

Melella added, “we are most grateful to Economy minister Massa and his Public Works minister Katopodis for underlining the significance of government investments, decisive for the private sector development and to ensure that the State is present in such important works,”

“Despite Argentina's current difficulties we have great hopes in the country, an Argentina committed to its people, to development and to growth. The port of Ushuaia not only is a terminal for cargo vessels and fishing vessels, it also receives annually some 500 cruises, most of them then head for Antarctica. The extended terminal means tourism cruises are going to prefer working from Argentina and not with the Chilean competitors. Argentine investment to promote Argentine jobs”

Minister Massa congratulated the provincial leadership of Tierra del Fuego and the contractors for having been so successful in the construction in time and quality of the extension.

However it yet has to be seen if the inauguration is more than symbolic, as happened on 9 July when the Argentine government announced the inauguration of the president Nestor Kirchner gas pipeline, which as was later recorded in Argentine television was a bluff, there is still a fourth section to be built, plus all the necessary pumps, and the stage mounted for Cristina Fernandez and minister Massa and the symbolic opening was loaded on trucks on 10 July, and disappeared.

Something similar happened at the Tandanor shipyards, where supposedly Argentine navy transport vessels had been refurbished, but inquisitive journalists took pictures from banned areas, where the vessels proved not to have propellers or their engines. Likewise with the inauguration of allegedly Argentine built radars, mounted in Tierra del Fuego. The only thing set up was the hardware of radars since the Italian/Spanish software never arrived or will not be supplied until Argentina pays for the order!!!!