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Termont and MSC inaugurate new container capacity in the Port of Montréal
[ November 23, 2016 // Gary G Burrows ]Termont Montréal Inc. (“Termont”) and Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A. (“MSC”) joined The Honourable Marc Garneau, Canada’s Minister of Transport; Minister Laurent Lessard, Québec’s Minister of Transport, Sustainable Transportation and Electrification of Transportation; Minister Jean D’Amour, Québec Minister for Maritime Affairs; and the Montréal Port Authority to inaugurate the Viau container terminal at the Port of Montréal in the presence of approximately 75 guests and dignitaries on November 18.
The redeveloped site at Viau terminal currently provides container capacity for an additional 350,000 TEUs at the Port of Montréal. The facility features two new state-of-the-art post-Panamax cranes, five rubber-tire gantry cranes, electrically-powered reefer stations, a modern automated truck-marshalling gate, an efficient intermodal service using on-terminal rail operations, and a high-density container yard.
“Viau terminal is an excellent example of how the public and private sectors can work together to develop world-class facilities for the benefit of businesses and communities alike,” said Madeleine Paquin, President of Termont and President and CEO of Logistec Corporation. “Termont has invested approximately $44 million on equipment and container handling services to support strategic growth for customers of both the Port of Montréal and MSC. Our combined investments have created the most modern and efficient container terminal along the St. Lawrence River, serving the northeastern part of the continent.”
The Port of Montréal is a strategic connection for container shipping in North America and benefits from MSC’s four weekly services using the Montréal gateway: one North Atlantic service, two services to the Mediterranean, and one service to the Caribbean and South America.
Viau terminal has the largest and most ecological cranes at the Port of Montréal and on-dock access to the region’s intermodal networks. The facility can also stack containers up to six units high and is expected to have the highest container density in the Port of Montréal.
“We live in a global economy and the majority of what Canadians buy at any retail point, along with manufacturing within Canada, is traded with countries worldwide,” said Sokat Shaikh, President and CEO of MSC Canada. “The 350,000 TEUs of new capacity currently available at the Port of Montréal is great news for Canadians because it means that more retail goods can be imported and more natural resources can be exported to countries around the world. MSC’s commitment to simplify Canadian trade and support our customers as they continue to expand internationally is at the core of our decision to operate at the new Viau terminal.”
In addition to Termont’s contributions, the Montréal Port Authority and Infrastructure Canada, via the New Building Canada Fund, are investing approximately $83 million in developing the terminal’s berth and permanent infrastructure.
Construction of the Viau terminal will be completed in two phases. In the coming years, the Montréal Port Authority and Termont expect to add a second berth and develop a supplementary container reception area. This will add another 250,000 TEUs of capacity and complete the second phase of the construction project with a total terminal capacity of 600,000 TEUs.
