Chile, maritime power

El Mercurio, Sunday, November 25, 2018

The Icare organization innovated the format of Enade 2018, not only regarding the location of the plenary meetings but also by creating symposia during lunch focused on specific topics related to the future of Chile, one of which was “Chile, maritime power.”

The result was a very intense, interactive session with diverse perspectives covering various maritime aspects. The proposals brought by the panelists ranged from the need to improve the logistics that support or enable port operations, the necessity of developing a solution for the cruise industry, a national plan for continuous shipbuilding to facilitate the renewal of the fleet and meet the needs of the Navy, along with the associated benefits for the Chilean industry. In summary, these are multisectoral proposals that must not be forgotten and that we must continue to work on if we want to enhance our quality as a maritime power, where, for now, the most fundamental step is to implement the national ocean policy published in early March 2018.

If we must reflect on what we understand by maritime power, my recommendation is to use a simple and actionable definition, which is to work with and from the sea for a stronger and more developed Chile. Maritime power is not the same as naval power, but a country that is a maritime power is associated with the naval power required to protect national maritime interests.

I invite you to transform Chile into the maritime power of the South Pacific and to make real what our national anthem states: that sea which gently bathes you promises a future of splendor.