COMANDANTE LUIS PIEDRA BUENA PIER

The arrival of the first group of immigrants in this land was on July 28th 1865. The National Government gave them an authorization for building a branch line that would join the Colony with Bahia Nueva. When the railway was legally authorized on May 1889 in the stretch Trelew – Puerto Madryn, the port became the main door of the Colony.

The Comandante Luis Piedra Buena pier was built in 1909, and it was authorized to the public service on January 3rd 1910.

All kind of goods were sent from this pier to another Patagonian ports, Buenos Aires and different countries. However, this activity began to decrease gradually because of the contruction of the National Route Nº 3.

In 1957 was created a firm which belonged to the state called: “Administración General de Puertos”. Until that moment, the administration and explotation of ports was in the hands of an internal branch of the railways.

The gas pipe was built in the 60´s and the pier received a large quantity of equipment and machineries that were involved in its construction.

On January 1972, moored the first cruiser in the Piedra Buena pier. In the same year, the National Government propitiate the construction of an aluminium plant (ALUAR) in our city, and the pier became an indispensable tool for that construction, because all the materials and equipments entered through it.

The pier was important not only for the plant construction, but also for unloading the necessary materials for the construction of the Futaleufu Hydroelectric Damn.

In 1975, was inaugurated the Almirante Storni pier. For that reason, the Piedra Buena pier began to receive only fishing and sportive boats.

In 1981, the Intendant Dr. Victoriano Salazar asked the Administracion General de Puertos (AGP) the transference of the pier from the AGP to the Town Hall.

The transference was produced on May 14th 1981, and the pier that until that moment had been called “Muelle Viejo” started to be known as “Teniente Coronel de Marina Don Luis Piedra Buena”, and afterwards its name was changed again into:“Comandante Luis Piedra Buena”.

The pier remained under the Town Hall field until 1985. In this year, it was given back to AGP, because of its deterioration and its lack of maintenance.

In that moment, the Prefectura Naval Argentina (Coast Guard) disqualified the pier from operating on it. In that way, it was closed not only for boats but also for people, due to its precarious conditions.

This situation kept in that way until 1987, when the AGP tranfers its operation to the Province of Chubut that in a short period of time, made a concession to the Firm called: “Puerto Pesquero Madryn S.A.” . This firm was in charge of repair the pier and qualify it again fot the fishing activity.

On April 2000, when the Sites Nº 5 and 6 of the Almirante Storni pier were inaugurated, the Fishing Industry began its activity there. From that moment, the Province began some negotiations with “Puerto Pesquero Madryn S.A.” in order to cancel the concession of the Piedra Buena pier and turn it into a Cruiser pier.

On October 31st, it was officially inaugurated as a Cruiser Pier. Nowadays, it is also a public space for recreation.