The Port of Valparaiso during the Covid19 : Continue to make a positive contribution to the lives of all porteños

During the Covid19 pandemic, Port of Valparaíso has carried out several community support plans, in order to inform the population about health measures and to assist people in need. As one of Chile’s main ports, the Port of Valparaíso is preparing to play a key role in the economic recovery, being respectful of the sustainable development. The Port of Valparaiso, is an active members of AIVP since 2002 AIVP - In our special Covid-19 bulletin recently we reported the homage paid by the City and Port of Valparaíso to the health workers, port workers, truck-drivers and everyone who has continued to work despite the Covid-19 crisis. Can you tell us about any other actions launched to help in the fight against the virus? Franco Gandolfo, General Manager of the Port of Valparaíso – In the context of this unprecedented health crisis which has hit Chile and the whole world, since January this year the Port of Valparaiso has coordinated and promoted a series of actions and measures to reaffirm our commitment to the continuity of international trade operations over the port. In particular we have strengthened our commitment to the health, safety and security of the hundreds of workers who perform this important activity day after day. The work of our concession-holders, authorities, employees and other actors in the trade chain, their permanent concern for people and their commitment to keeping operations going, have been key factors in dealing with this crisis and keeping up supplies of materials that are essential to more than 70% of the Chilean population, and, as we know, are supplied by sea. Together with the Health, Customs and Maritime Authorities – and of course the concession-holders – the employees themselves and the port and logistics community as a whole have been adopting campaigns to promote measures to protect health and sanitise spaces and equipment, to encourage preventive behaviour and educate people in social distancing. In operational terms, a comprehensive plan has been implemented to reduce the need for face-to-face interactions throughout the whole chain. A logistical sanitary cordon has also been implemented, divided into three actions: sanitising trucks and taking the temperature of drivers in the Logistical Support Extension Zone(ZEAL); implementing preventive measures for port workers on the terminals; and strict health checks of all crews and ships arriving in Valparaiso before cargo transfer is begun. An important point is that these measures have been developed in an atmosphere of co-responsibility with the port workers' unions; they are important allies for reviewing and strengthening health and prevention plans, and for disseminating the measures implemented for the crisis. A committee has been meeting since March to achieve this, with representatives of the employees, the Maritime Authority, TPS, TCVAL, ZEAL and EPV. There are also of course the actions adopted by the Logistical Support Extension Zone (ZEAL), which acts as a node for the control, coordination and inspection of all the cargoes entering and leaving the Port of Valparaiso and our other two concession-holders. AIVP -Quarantine has…