Province of Tierra del Fuego
"B" Category Port.
Lat 54°48'S Long 68°19'W
Charts Arg.  H-477, H-478, H-480
B.A. 3424, 3425

Ushuaia is the capital of the Tierra del Fuego province, and has a population of 30.000. The main economic activities are tourism, the production and assembly of home appliances, fishing and the production of forestry byproducts.  Road communication with the continent is through highway Nº3, which enters Chilean territory up to the Magallanes Strait (crossed by ferry). The local airport has domestic and regional services.

Port Installations: These port lies on the NW side of the Ushuaia Bay and consist of the commercial pier, which is presently being considerable extended, and the Orion oil jetty.  Ushuaia is also a naval base and the Argentine Navy has a smali floating dry-dock moored at the western end of the commercial pier on its south side.

  Description of port:

1)The commercial pier juts out into the bay in a SSE direction (see map); ¡t is being extended to eventually provide a berthing front of 640 m on the south side and 517 m on the north side, with an additional mooring dolphin located a further 28 m beyond the pier. It is also being broadened to a width of 28 m. These operations are due to be completed end 1998/early 1999.  The pier is built on a shelving beach and when the extension operations are completed, depths alongside a datum reportedly will be 31/32 feet at the eastern end and 15/16 feet at the western end.

2)The Orion oil jetty is situated about 0,5 miles NE of the Commercial pier. It is a narrow "T" shaped jetty extending about 85 m from the shore with a frontage of 30 m at its head, 10 m width and fitted with outlying mooring points. It is used by tankers to discharge gas oil to shore storage tanks.  Ships berth starboard side to the jetty and depth alongside is about 35 ft at datum.  The berth is occasionally used by small passenger ships or vessels wishing to bunker directly at the jetty. (see bunkers)  

Commercial operations:

a)Tourism: A considerable number of passenger vessels call between December and March, mostly taking passengers on Antarctic cruises.  A minimum of five days berthing notice is required by the port authorities, cruise vessels having absolute berthing priority.  When these vessels cannot berth alongside due to weather conditions they usually anchor close in at anchorages indicated on the chart within the 10-20 fathom lines.

b) General cargoes, for the most part connected with the electrical industry, are shipped almost entirely in containers; the movement in 1997 consisted of 26.980 TEUS being handled as follows: imports 11.111 TEUS (10.511 full, 600 empty); exports 9026 TEUS (1199 full, 7827 empty).  Coastal trade with Buenos Aires: discharged 2193 TEUS (1732 full, 456 empty) loaded 4650 TEUS (2271 full, 2379 empty).

c) Fishing: This is presently carried out by 10 locally based vessels which transship their catch directly to foreign flag reefer vessels whilst moored to the pier with the receiving vessel lying second off.  Exports in 1997 amounted to almost 41.000 ton (13.000 ton frofish, 23.000 surimi and 5000 ton fishmeal)

Pilots: Argentine pilot boarding points are as follows:

a)  Vessels arriving at the eastern end of the Beagle Channel: 1,5 miles off Moat Point,

or  adjacent to Cape San Pio, or in the case of bad weather in the shelter of Slogget Bay.

b)  If arriving from the west the pilot is taken off Roca Perón at the demarcation of

the Chilean/Argentine jurisdiction.

c) Vessels proceeding from the Chilean port of Port Williams take the Argentine

Ushuaia port pilot at Les Eclaireurs.

Weather:    Ushuaia is located in a relatively sheltered bay, however gale force winds can often be encountered, particularly from the west and south.

Local communications:

Ushuaia Coastguard (PNA) Radio L30.

W/T on 50OKhz R/T on 2,3,4,5, Mhz VHF on ch 16

Ushuaia Coastguard (PNA) Radio L30.  L3P VHF on ch 9, 12, 14, 16, 77 (continuous)

Local holidays: June 1st and October 12th

Medical aid: Available at Municipal Hospital and a private clinic, including emergency ambulance service in port area via VHF channel 6. Provincial ambulance plane available in emergency.  Also pilot boat or PNA craft can attend for emergencies within the bay.

Hotels:  17 are available of different categories.  Bookings 30 days in advance advisable during summer season.

Transportation:   Daily flights to/from Buenos Aires and Río Gallegos as well as Punta Arenas.

Bunkers:    Gasoil available from Orion YPF pier/storage tanks and supplied to commercial pier by truck.  In case of need vessels of up to 150 m LOA and around 30 ft draft can berth directly alongside the Orion jetty to bunker.  Fuel oil presently not obtainable.  All arrangements, either locally or with brokers at Buenos Aires should be made in plenty of time.

Divers: Qualified divers available for underwater inspection, etc.

Electricity: Can be supplied from pier at 220/380 V.

Fresh water: Available at Commercial pier.  Supply rate 30 TPH and case need with booster pump 80 TPH.

Gangway watchmen: Compulsory for foreign flag vessels over 2000 GRT.

Garbage:    Agents must contact authorities who require to inspect garbage prior to permitting its discharge to refuse skips.

Launches:   Four launches available for transporting passengers/crew/stores to/from vessels at anchor.

Load line: Seasonal winter zone (April 16th - October 15th) see ILLC.

Repairs: Limited repairs can be carried out.

Cranes/port equipment: Port administration has 1x45 ton container top loader; 2 mobile cranes SWL 34 ton plus 3 forklift trucks.  Additionally private contractors have 4x45 ton container top loaders, various mobile cranes and forklift trucks.

Stores/victuals:  Available from local ship-chandlers.  Also, if appreciable quantities required by cruise vessels, from chandlers at Buenos Aires or Bahía Blanca.

Sunrise/sunset: 

Warehouses: Bonded warehouse of 1100 sqm covered area belonging to Port

Administration plus 2 privately owned warehouses available.

Open storage: The Port Administration storage area can accommodate about 600 TEUS and has facilities for 30 reefer containers.

Font: River Plate Guide Ed. 1998/1999.

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