Ronald Bown, president of ASOEX.

The Association of Fruit Exporters of Chile, AG (asoex) wishes to express its deep concern in relation to the port situation in the country, and that can have a serious impact on the mobilization of both import cargo and export.

Indeed, in recent days 4 ships have had to remain on tour without being able to enter their respective ports. In these ships, there has been at least 1 case of covid-19 infection, which has caused these vessels to be unable to carry out the corresponding unloading and loading operations.

Given the relevance and great repercussion that this type of situation can produce, we call on the corresponding authorities, especially the maritime and health authorities, to achieve, as soon as possible, agree on a protocol aimed at adequately handling this situation, which allows implement isolation regulations for infected people, carry out the respective sanitization of the ship and any other measure that ensures the normal performance of functions, both by national navy personnel and port workers in general.

We reiterate, if the current situation continues and assuming that similar cases will occur in the future, there will be chaos that is difficult to manage in our ports.

Therefore, we ask the corresponding authorities to consider what has been raised and act accordingly.

RONALD BOWN FERNANDEZ
PRESIDENT
ASSOCIATION OF FRUIT EXPORTERS OF CHILE, AG