Cruise del Sur.

RICARDO DEL VALLE, CONTROLLER OF THE PORT OF BUENOS Aires, wants more than cargo at the dock. He wants people.

Del Valle and other port officials in Argentina, Chile and Uruguay are urging the world's multibillion-dollar cruise industry to detour some of its nearly 10 million passengers annually from the Caribbean and Mediterranean--and set sail for South America.

"A cruise ship doesn't took for a port, it looks for a region. Our goal is to integrate the ports to offer them as a regional product," says Del Valle, president of the fledgling South Cone Cruise Ports Association, or Surcruise. He says cruise traffic will create spin-off jobs for small and medium-sized tourism-linked companies.

The push by Surcruise and its 14 member ports comes at a time when megaships crowd Caribbean ports, repeat passengers search for new itineraries and cruise lines seek markets to develop.

Royal Caribbean has positioned a ship in Brazil for cruises to Argentina and Uruguay; it is targeting Latin American passengers. Celebrity Cruises calls at ports in Uruguay, Argentina, Chile and Brazil. Norwegian Cruise Line, Orient Lines, Crystal Cruises, Princess Cruises and Costa Cruises ply the region on a limited basis.

Buenos Aires receives about 60 cruise ships a year. Surcruise wants that figure to reach 200 by 2003.

There are obstacles. ports lack passenger ship terminals, Customs and immigration procedures need streamlining. Port taxes must be cut and docks beg for upgrading.

Jose Daniel Barrera Saez, Surcruise's representative for Puerto Montt, Chile, predicts privatization will ease the association's efforts. He adds that Mother Nature is providing the biggest incentive.

"Where else can you dock, then board a plane for a day trip to Antarctica?" he asks.