Easter Island Naviera (EIN), a Chilean company that operates shipping routes between Easter Island and mainland Chile, is spearheading a new regular commercial maritime link between Punta Arenas, in southern Chile, and the Falkland Islands (a British overseas territory in the South Atlantic). The initiative, backed by the Falkland Islands Development Corporation and the Islands' Chamber of Commerce, has drawn strong interest from the private sector in both territories, with a trade Expo scheduled for September 28–29 in Punta Arenas expecting more than 20 Falklands businesses and some 30 to 40 Chilean companies to participate. A first sailing is anticipated for November, with officials describing the timeline as realistic, and the link is seen as broadening trade resilience for the Islands — particularly in anticipation of growing logistical demands from an emerging oil industry.