Epaustral Board Begins Operational Visits in Magallanes 2026

With an intense agenda of meetings and field visits, the new board of the Empresa Portuaria Austral (Epaustral) for the 2026-2029 period began its work, focusing its first weeks on familiarizing itself with the organization's operations, its main investment projects, and the daily work carried out by the teams that sustain port operations in the Magallanes Region and Chilean Antarctica.

Composed of its president, José Miguel Cruz, and directors Marcelo Silva and Daniela Arecheta, the board began its activities in June with its first work sessions alongside the general manager, Miguel Palma, and the executive team made up of José Suazo, Project Manager; Marcela Mansilla, Services Manager; and Evelyn Fleming, Administration and Finance Manager, who presented the company's main challenges in administration, operations, infrastructure, and strategic planning.

As part of this stage, the directors also held meetings with the presidents of the Workers' and Professionals' Unions, José Luis Gálvez and Esperanza Rojas, meetings that allowed them to learn about the vision of both organizations and open a space for direct dialogue with the representatives.

One of the highlights of this initial agenda was the visit to the José Santos Mardones Terminal in Punta Arenas, where the board toured the facilities with the operational teams, reviewed the progress of the pier slab reinforcement works, one of the most relevant infrastructure projects currently being executed by Empresa Portuaria Austral, and visited the premises of the Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG), enabled within the port facility during 2025.

The tour also allowed for sharing with workers and representatives of companies that carry out work at the terminal, creating a space to learn firsthand about the operation of the facilities, the challenges facing the site, and the development opportunities projected by the organization.

At the end of June, the directors also participated in an internal activity with workers from Punta Arenas, Puerto Natales, and Porvenir, an instance that allowed for a first meeting with a large group of collaborators who support the connectivity, logistics, and tourism tasks that occur at Epaustral.

The agenda of the new board, which is responsible for defining the strategic guidelines of the state-owned company, will continue in the coming weeks with visits to other facilities managed by Empresa Portuaria Austral in the Magallanes Region and meetings with regional and communal authorities.