Falklands Business Group Convenes in Punta Arenas Amid New Shipping Link
The Falkland Islands Development Corporation (FIDC) is set to lead the largest business delegation from the Falkland Islands to Punta Arenas, Chile, to support and finalise a potential new shipping link connecting the two regions. The two-day Business Showroom event in Punta Arenas, Chile, scheduled to take place from Monday the 28th September to Tuesday the 29th of September 2026, will see approximately 80 businesses from both the Falkland Islands and Chile meet to spotlight opportunities for trade and commerce.
The purpose of the Business Showroom is to solidify the potential new shipping link between Punta Arenas and Stanley, which is currently set for a mid-November 2026 inaugural sailing. Earlier this year, Valparaiso-based maritime transport company Easter Island Naviera visited the Falkland Islands and will begin operating the new shipping route.
The route operated successfully for decades before becoming financially unviable in the early 2000s. In 2025, FIDC identified sufficient potential to begin consultations with the Falkland Islands private sector, Chilean shipping companies and the Municipality of Punta Arenas, and subsequently produced a background report for stakeholders. A Chile link would complement the existing successful monthly service from Uruguay, strengthening the resilience of imports and exports.
The two-day event will give businesses on both sides the opportunity to finalise business opportunities. Likely cargo from Punta Arenas includes fresh fruit and vegetables, dairy products, timber and other construction materials, animal feed, livestock, heavy plant and machinery, vehicle spares, and Chilean wines and beers, with further products and services still being considered.
Interest has been overwhelmingly positive among businesses in both the Falkland Islands and Chile. Around 40 representatives from the Islands’ private sector are attending a business showcase in Punta Arenas, alongside an estimated 30–40 Chilean businesses, to develop supplier relationships and contracts; this would be the largest single Falkland Islands trade delegation to date. As the Islands’ population, infrastructure programme and emerging industries grow, stronger links with Chile are expected to help meet increasing demand while giving Chilean companies a viable opportunity to enter and expand within the Falkland Islands market.
The FIDC Deputy Managing Director, Strategic Projects Manager, and Marketing & Communications Officer will accompany the delegation, and provide logistical and professional support throughout the visit.
“The re-establishment of a route between Punta Arenas and Stanley was viewed as a commercial opportunity and a logical area for business expansion by Easter Island Naviera, who have a successful history of serving a remote community,” said Louise Ellis, Deputy Managing Director of FIDC. “As such, they have worked to engage with businesses in the Falkland Islands and Punta Arenas to launch their new venture. FIDC has facilitated the engagement with the Falkland Islands’ private sector and provided access to regulatory and other pertinent information to support the development of their business case.”
Download the Falkland Islands Business Delegation Booklet below, in either English and Spanish:
Download the Commercial Rate Card from Easter Island Naviera below:
