Port of Punta Arenas

Ships at Punta Arenas tie up at the Terminal Arturo Prat pier, a piled pier 18 m wide and 373 m long that runs out perpendicular to the coast. The port authority's terminal sheet lists 2 berthing fronts, 6 berth sites and 682 linear metres of berthing. It also lists two tender landing platforms, so check your cruise documents for how your ship lands passengers.

The south berth and the north berth

The terminal sheet sets a maximum authorised ship length of 258.6 m at the south berth and 217 m at the north berth. Maximum authorised draft is 9 m. The port's season page reports that the Oosterdam, at 285 m, berthed directly at Muelle Arturo Prat and was the first ship of that size to dock directly at the pier after Stage II of the port upgrade. The sheet's limits are lower than that ship's length, and the season page does not say how the two fit together. The same page notes that the Majestic Princess, at 330 m, called in the 2024-2025 season and was one of the largest ships to reach the coast of Punta Arenas.

The passenger room and Antarctic centre

The terminal has a 1,000 m2 passenger room and Antarctic centre. The sheet says it offers services linked to tourism and has all the basic services.

The port's published timetable

The port authority publishes the season's cruise list with arrival and departure times and ship length. Check your own call against the current list before you plan the day.

Antarctic traffic

For 2024-2025 the port reports 175 voyages and 77,691 passengers, and 54.8% of all voyages were bound for Antarctica. For 2025-2026 it reports 176 calls and 64,700 passengers in the Magallanes Region.

From the airport and from Puerto Natales

Presidente Carlos Ibanez del Campo airport is about 20 km from the centre of Punta Arenas. Chile's tourism board says to take a bus, taxi or transfer for that journey. The airport has direct flights from Santiago and seasonal connections to Argentina. From Puerto Natales, the board lists an intercity bus along Route 9 that covers 250 km in 3 hours.

Wind, rain and the Nao Victoria

The tourism board describes a subpolar oceanic climate with strong winds, and calls footwear, windbreakers and raincoats essential. It names the Nao Victoria Museum, a full-scale replica of Ferdinand Magellan's ship, among the sights, and describes Punta Arenas as a strategic base for Antarctic exploration.

Pesos

The official currency of Chile is the Chilean peso (CLP). The tourism board adds that rates at exchange offices and stores might differ from the official figure.

Punta Arenas call data and the Arturo Prat pier

The Terminal Arturo Prat pier runs 373 m out from the coast, so leave time for the ride back to the pier.

How this page is made

Ship calls come from WakeRadar's AIS tracking (date range shown above). Facts were checked on 2026-10-26 against the sources below. The text is reviewed by the WakeRadar editor.

Sources

• https://www.epaustral.cl/empresa-portuaria/terminales/terminal-arturo-prat/
• https://www.epaustral.cl/informacion/temporada-de-cruceros/
• https://www.chile.travel/en/destinations/punta-arenas/
• https://www.chile.travel/en/good-to-know/currency-and-costs/