New flight options cut transit times for south Chile salmon
AquaChile has made the first direct air freight shipment of fresh salmon from Chile’s southern Magallanes region to the United States.
Until now, fresh salmon produced in the region has been exported through Puerto Montt and the Chilean capital, Santiago.
AquaChile said the new option to fly from Puerto Natales was the result of coordinated work between the Magallanes Salmon Farmers Association, the region's economy, development and tourism minister, Natalia Easton, and the Sky airline.
A milestone for Magallanes
The first consignment was for two tonnes of fresh salmon sent to Los Angeles. The operation is part of a programme of weekly flights for shipments to destination markets that began operating this month.
“AquaChile has been working on this project for several months and it represents a milestone, since it allows us to considerably reduce the times from the place of origin of our fish, allowing us to deliver salmon to our clients in the world from the southernmost places with the largest freshness possible in a transit time of two days,” said the company’s supply chain manager, Matías Silva, in a press release.
“Additionally, this allows the region’s connectivity to be improved, and gives the Puerto Natales airport a boost.”
