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SEPT-ÎLES, January 21, 2013 – The Port of Sept-Îles is proud to announce a 7.5% increase in volume handled over the previous year, reaching 28 million tons. This increase is primarily due to the growing volume of iron ore handled and especially to the expanding volume of Labrador Iron Mines, which accounts for more than 80% of the growth.

In a historical and unprecedented move, the federal government kicked off the year 2012 by announcing $55 million in funding for the Port, covering a quarter of the new multi-user dock’s $220 million price tag.

In the wake of this major announcement, five more partners joined in and agreed to finance half of the project. These partners are Alderon Iron Ore Corp., Champion Iron Mines Limited, Labrador Iron Mines Holdings Limited, New Millennium Iron Corp., and Tata Steel Minerals Canada Limited.

We should also mention that the very first maritime week took place September 27 to October 4 thanks to the cooperation of many partners, such as Ville de Sept-Îles, NCSM Jolliet, and Destination Sept-Îles Nakauinanu. The event was a tremendous success, with over 2,000 people participating in the various activities.

We would also like to point out the Port’s major contribution to the community throughout the year. Fondation du Centre hospitalier de Sept-Îles received a record $250,000 in donations from the Port of Sept-Îles for the automation and consolidation of CSSS de Sept-Îles’s laboratory. The Port’s “5 à huîtres maritime” fundraiser for the Élyme des sables palliative care centre, which brought in a record-setting $115,000 last October, is also worthy of mention. In total, the Port contributed over half a million dollars to the community, considering all the causes and organizations it supported last year.

ABOUT THE PORT OF SEPT-ÎLES

Boasting a variety of state-of-the-art facilities, the Port of Sept-Îles is the leading iron ore port in North America, with an annual volume of nearly 30 million tons. Sept-Îles’ port facilities play a vital and strategic role in the operation of many businesses from the region’s primary sector. The Port’s annual economic impact is estimated at nearly $1 billion, with some 4,000 direct and indirect jobs. Port activity at the Port of Sept-Îles therefore remains a significant source of wealth creation in Quebec and Canada.

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SEPT-ÎLES, January 12, 2013 – The M/V ETERNUS, an Isle of Man registered vessel, sailing from Falmouth, United Kingdom, was the first ship to arrive in Sept-Îles this year, at 5:20 a.m. on January 4, 2013. The vessel arrived empty and finally docked on January 11 at Rio Tinto IOC dock Nº 2. It will set sail again with 162,721 metric tons of iron ore destined for Dunkirk, France.

Mr. Pierre D. Gagnon, president & CEO of the Port of Sept-Îles, presented Captain Miroslaw Kaczmarczyk with the prestigious cane bearing the Port of Sept-Îles insignia.

Several gifts were presented to the Captain by Ms. Lorraine Dubuc-Johnson, pro-mayor of the City of Sept-Îles, as well as by representatives of Rio Tinto IOC.

This tradition, now in its 26th year, marks the arrival of the first ship of the year to call the Port. To be eligible, the vessel must come directly from a foreign Port and be bound for a destination outside the country without making any other calls at a Canadian Port.

In 2012, the prestigious cane was transformed in order to showcase the materials that form the basis of the Port operations, iron and aluminum. The more contemporary version of the cane is a reflection of the Port logo, with its stylised polished aluminum head supporting an iron ore rock whose brilliance is reflected in a half sphere of acrylic. The seven stars of the Port logo which represent the seven islands in the Bay of Sept-Îles have been reproduced in gold on the band of the cane. The head of the cane is mounted on a dark rosewood shaft that brings warmth and prestige to the creation.

ABOUT THE PORT OF SEPT-ÎLES

Boasting a variety of state-of-the-art facilities, the Port of Sept-Îles is one of North America’s leading iron ore ports in terms of annual volume handled with close to 30 million tons. Sept-Îles’ port facilities play a vital and strategic role in the operation of a number of businesses from the region’s primary sector. The Port’s annual economic impact is estimated at nearly $1 billion, with some 4,000 direct and indirect jobs. Port activity at the Port of Sept-Îles therefore remains a significant source of wealth creation in Quebec and Canada.

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Information Sheet – M/V Eternus

First Ships of the Year

SEPT-ÎLES, October 29, 2012 – With the third edition of the “5 à huîtres maritime” event complete, the organizing committee is proud to announce that the final amount collected was $115,000. This impressive figure was made possible thanks to surprise offerings from three major companies in the process of setting up shop in the region—McKeil Marine and Arrimage Québec donated $7,000 each, and CN made a $15,000 contribution.

Chef Ian Perreault was this year’s special guest. In addition to helping Club Richelieu volunteers concoct special recipes for the activity, Mr. Perreault and his wife Mélanie amazed over three hundred guests with their culinary skills and original oyster recipes.

Thank you and congratulations to the many volunteers who did an amazing job setting up and tearing down the activity.

Third edition of the “5 à huîtres maritime”

This was the third edition of this charity event organized by the Port of Sept-Îles in collaboration with Club Richelieu, the HMCS Jolliet (Naval Reserve) and Élyme des sables to collect as much money as possible to help support the ongoing operation of the Sept-Îles palliative care centre. Last year, over $84,500 were raised.

Participants had two options to choose from. The Rockefeller version at $500 per person consisted of a tasting of gourmet oyster dishes, while the Malpèque version at $100 per person was for raw oyster lovers looking for a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. The fresh oyster tasting was accompanied by a buffet dinner. The evening also featured entertainment, free drinks, contests, music, and door prizes.

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SEPT-ÎLES, October 18, 2012 – With only one week to go before the third edition of the “5 à huîtres maritime” event, the organizing committee has already confirmed the presence of two hundred guests. Tickets are only on sale for one more week, and the committee is eagerly awaiting the final participants who will make the evening a success. Chef Ian Perreault will be the special guest this year. In addition to helping Club Richelieu volunteers concoct special recipes for the activity, Mr. Perreault will be demonstrating his culinary talents during the evening.

A shuttle service will be available between the parking lot of the old Canadian Tire (corner of Maltais and Arnaud) and the Naval Reserve at 366 Arnaud Avenue.

Third edition of the “5 à huîtres maritime”

This charity event organized by the Port of Sept-Îles in collaboration with Club Richelieu, the HMCS Jolliet (Naval Reserve) and the Élyme des sables palliative care centre, is now in its third edition. It features an original concept designed to collect as much money as possible to help support the ongoing operation of the Sept-Îles palliative care centre. Last year, over $84,500 were raised.

Participants have two options to choose from. The Rockefeller version at $500 per person consists of a tasting of gourmet oyster dishes, while the Malpèque version at $100 per person is for raw oyster lovers looking for a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. The fresh oyster tasting is accompanied by a buffet dinner. The evening will also feature entertainment, free drinks, contests, music, and door prizes.

Tickets are on sale at the Port of Sept-Îles (418 968-1231) and will be available at the Naval Reserve entrance starting at 5 p.m. on the day of the activity.

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Sept-Îles, September 26, 2012 — To mark the 50th anniversary of the Centre de santé et de services sociaux de Sept-Îles (CSSS) and the 2012 fundraising campaign of Fondation régionale Hôpital Sept-Îles, the Port of Sept-Îles is proud to announce the biggest monetary donation ever given to the Foundation, namely a quarter of million dollars.

The objective of this exceptional donation is to help the CSSS in its constant effort to improve services to the regional community and to offer tangible support by providing the necessary funds to consolidate and automate the CSSS laboratory. This sizeable community investment by the Port stems from its new policy on donations and contributions to the community. From now on, all of the Port of Sept-Îles’ major infrastructure projects will set aside funds for community initiatives that generate a maximum of impacts and spinoffs for Sept-Îles residents. In fact, it was the $220 million multi-user dock project that enabled the Port to make this major initial donation.

“We are very pleased to make this first big donation to the community in honor of the CSSS’s 50th anniversary and are delighted with the spinoffs and impact of this investment, which will increase the range and processing speed of tests for all hospital patients,” said Port of Sept-Îles president and CEO Pierre D. Gagnon and chairman Carol Soucy.

According to Martin Beaumont, executive director of CSSS de Sept-Îles, “The Port of Sept-Îles board just raised the bar! This is a remarkable example of community involvement that will affect thousands of Côte-Nord patients, as our laboratory carries out nearly 800,000 analyses a year. This donation will undoubtedly give an excellent return on investment, particularly by improving the quality of and access to care.”

This is the biggest corporate donation the Foundation has ever received and to highlight this fact, the CSSS’s testing centre has been named after the Port of Sept-Îles, and the Foundation has created a Diamond category for contributions of $250,000 and over.

Purchasing specialized analytical equipment for the laboratory will enable it to develop new tests, including breast and ovarian cancer screening. This is a wise investment that will enhance regional expertise and boost the diagnostic service’s productivity by reducing wait times. One of the CSSS’s strategic goals is to develop and maintain an array of equipment and IT to support their services. Fondation régionale Hôpital Sept-Îles has once again helped the CSSS take steps toward reaching this objective.

The Port of Sept-Îles and the Foundation is helping CSSS de Sept-Îles achieve its vision of becoming Côte-Nord residents’ best healthcare ally.

ABOUT THE PORT OF SEPT-ÎLES
www.portsi.com

With a full range of high-performance equipment, the Port of Sept-Îles is North America’s leading iron ore port and will become Canada’s second largest in terms of annual volume handled, with over 30 million tons expected in 2012.

Sept-Îles’ port facilities play a vital and strategic role in the operation of a number of businesses from the region’s primary sector. The Port’s annual economic impact is estimated at nearly $1 billion, with some4,000 direct and indirect jobs. Port activity at thePort of Sept-Îles therefore remains a significant source of wealth creation in Quebec and the rest of Canada.

ABOUT FONDATION RÉGIONALE HÔPITAL SEPT-ÎLES
www.fondationsept-iles.qc.ca

Fondation régionale Hôpital Sept-Îles’ mission is to raise funds in support of Centre de santé et de services sociaux de Sept-Îles in order to enhance the health and wellbeing of area residents by providing a range of health and social services.

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SEPT-ÎLES, September 13, 2012 – One of Quebec’s great chefs will be joining the “5 à huîtres maritime” event to be held on Thursday, October 25 at the Sept-Îles Naval Reserve to raise funds for the Élyme des sables palliative care centre. Chef Ian Perreault, renowned for his creativity and gourmet talents, will amaze guests with his oyster recipes combining local flavors from the North Shore.

In addition to helping Club Richelieu volunteers concoct special recipes for the activity, Mr. Perreault will be demonstrating his culinary talents during the evening.

A celebrity chef

After trying his hand studying accounting, the desire to surpass himself drove Ian Perreault back to his first passion: cooking. At the age of sixteen, he was already working in a pizzeria and learning to run a kitchen efficiently—a skill he would draw upon frequently throughout his career as a chef and restaurateur. He worked in 18 restaurants before opening his first restaurant, Area, with his partner Denis Lévesque in June 2000. Today, this native Montrealer is one of the city’s most creative and talented chefs, managing Ian Perreault Prêts-à-manger with his wife Mélanie Martin.

Third edition of the “5 à huîtres maritime”

This charity event organized by the Port of Sept-Îles in collaboration with Club Richelieu, the HMCS Jolliet (Naval Reserve) and the Élyme des sables palliative care centre, is now in its third edition. It features an original concept designed to collect as much money as possible to help support the ongoing operation of the Sept-Îles palliative care centre. Last year, over $84,500 were raised.

Participants have two options to choose from. The Rockefeller version at $500 per person consists of a tasting of gourmet oyster dishes, while the Malpèque version at $100 per person is for raw oyster lovers looking for a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. The fresh oyster tasting is accompanied by a buffet dinner. The evening will also feature entertainment, free drinks, contests, music, and door prizes.

Tickets are on sale at the Port of Sept-Îles (418 968-1231) and will be available at the Naval Reserve entrance starting at 5 p.m. on the day of the activity.

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Quebec City, Canada, May 29, 2012 – The latest report card from the internationally-recognized Green Marine program shows that the overall environmental performance of ports, terminals and shipowners in Canada and the U.S. has improved for the third year in a row.

Green Marine, a North American environmental improvement program endorsed by WWF Canada, Ducks Unlimited and Transport Canada, today announced the results of its evaluation of participants’ efforts in nine key areas at the 5th annual GreenTech Conference held in Quebec City, Canada.

Participants, including major shipowners, ports and terminals from the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River, Atlantic and Pacific Coasts, scored an overall performance level of 3 out of a possible 5 for 2011, compared to 2.7 achieved in 2010. Shipowners posted the highest scores in their efforts to reduce sulphur dioxide emissions, which contribute to smog and acid rain; while ports stood out in their leadership in encouraging their tenants and users to adopt best sustainable practices. Individual company results were also revealed at the certification ceremony and can be viewed in the progress report at http://www.green-marine.org/home. (See Notes below for how the scores work.)

David Bolduc, Green Marine executive director, said: “Green Marine celebrates its fifth anniversary this year with a number of significant achievements. Our program continues to significantly expand its membership, we signed a key partnership agreement with Transport Canada and our latest results show that the marine shipping industry is serious about its environmental responsibilities.”

Green Marine has added 23 new participants during the last 18 months — including the ports of Saint John, Nanaimo and Halifax, 4 American terminals owned by Ceres, six Canadian terminals owned by McAsphalt Industries, terminals owned by Neptune, and B.C.’s Seaspan Marine and Island Tug and Barge among others. Winner of the Green Shipping Initiative of the Year at Sustainable Shipping Awards 2011, Green Marine also developed additional performance indicators for the prevention of spills and leakages and garbage management.

Ray Johnston, president of Green Marine Management Corporation and of the Chamber of Marine Commerce in Ottawa, said: “Marine is the most environmentally friendly mode of transport by virtue of its fuel efficiency and huge carrying capacity. Through Green Marine, shipowners, ports and terminals are challenging themselves to continuously raise the bar higher.”

Green Marine Evaluation Process
Results are based on a scale of 1 to 5 evaluated against performance indicators in nine key areas.

• Level 1 Regulatory compliance
• Level 2 Participants have surpassed their regulatory obligations and introduced systematic use of defined best practices, for example, shipowners take preventive measures to reduce the risk of discharging oily waters at sea or take measures to reduce fuel consumption, such as reducing speed, optimizing loading of ships and adapting voyage routes to weather conditions and tidal currents.
• Level 3 Participants quantified their company’s environmental impacts and integrated best practices into a formal management plan, for example, shipowners have completed an annual inventory of the company’s air emissions, such as GHG, SOX and/or NOX emissions. Ports, terminals and shipyards carry out actions to reduce dust, noise, excessive light and implement formal procedures for preventing water and land pollution as well as for handling community complaints.
• Level 4 Participants have introduced/trialled new technologies, for example, to reduce air emissions or the risk of spreading aquatic invasive species. Ports, terminals and shipyards install storm water treatment devices.
• Level 5 Participants have shown excellence by achieving defined reduction targets or systemic use of technologies, for example, shipowners allocate 75 % of annual fuel consumption to fuel with a sulphur content equal to or less than 1.5 %; which is significantly lower than the 2011 international standard of 4.5%.

Green Marine Overview

Green Marine’s environmental program targets a number of issues including greenhouse gases, cargo waste management, community impacts (noise, dust, odors, and light), water and land pollution prevention and environmental leadership. While Green Marine is a voluntary initiative, participants agree to undergo a rigorous external audit every two years, which is performed by Lloyds Registry Quality Assurance. Green Marine’s membership has doubled to 161 members made up of 67 participants, 54 partners and 40 supporters — from coast to coast, in Canada and the United States.

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SEPT-ÎLES, February 13, 2012 – The Port of Sept-Îles is proud to announce today the financial support of the federal government for the construction of the multi-user dock in the Bay of Sept-Îles with a maximum contribution of $55 million, which is 25% of the project costs. The Port and its partners are very pleased with this announcement, which is the culmination of considerable work and efforts over the past few years. The announcement was made in the presence of the Honorable Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec and the Honorable Peter Penashue, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, along with representatives of the maritime industry and other dignitaries from the Sept-Îles region.

With the preliminary engineering phase complete, the Port of Sept-Îles is pleased to unveil today the conceptual plans for the new dock. Construction of the multi-user dock, at a cost of $220 million, will be completed over a period of 18 to 24 months. Located at Pointe-Noire, the dock will be built on the site of the old Gulf Pulp and Paper dock. Built on piles, the multi-user dock will have a 420-meter-long approach. The dock itself will be 450 meters long, with two berths. Construction is expected to start upon receipt of approvals this spring.

The Sept-Îles Port Authority believes that the completion of the multi-user dock will have a major impact in terms of job creation. Close to 1,000 jobs will be created during the two-year construction phase. Between 150 and 200 new jobs will be created locally for various rail transport, storage, and port handling activities. There will also be 2,500 to 3,000 new jobs that are directly related to the implementation of the new terminal and associated with the booming iron market that northern Québec and Labrador is experiencing with the arrival of many new mining companies.

This long-awaited dock will meet the growing and urgent needs of current and future Port of Sept-Îles users. “Many mining projects are advancing rapidly toward the launch of their activities and it is part of our mission to support them by providing state-of-the-art facilities that allow them to compete in the global marketplace. This new terminal will strengthen the Pointe-Noire sector’s major role in iron ore shipping in Canada, and with a capacity of 50 million tons annually, the terminal will become a focus of strategic development for the Port and its users,” explained Port of Sept-Îles president and CEO Pierre D. Gagnon.

The financial support of the federal government marks the eagerly awaited kickoff of this major project that will allow the Port of Sept-Îles to expand to meet the needs of the market. “The federal government’s assistance strengthens the financial basis of the project and once again reflects the government’s desire to be a major partner in the port’s long-term development and fully support the iron industry and economic development in eastern Canada,” added board chair Carol Soucy.

The Government of Canada’s contribution comes from the Gateways and Border Crossings Fund, which supports transportation infrastructure projects to develop and operate gateways, trade corridors, and border crossings. The Fund supports the objectives of the Canada–Ontario–Quebec Continental Gateway initiative, which aims to develop efficient transportation networks in Ontario and Quebec for international trade. The fund is part of the Building Canada plan, which makes it possible to provide long-term, stable, and predictable financing to help meet infrastructure needs across Canada.

With a full range of high-performance equipment, the Port of Sept-Îles is North America’s leading iron ore port and will now become Canada’s second largest in terms of annual volume handled, with close to 34 million tons expected in 2012.

Sept-Îles’ port facilities play a vital and strategic role in the operation of a number of businesses from the region’s primary sector.
The port’s annual economic impact is estimated at nearly $1 billion, with some 4,000 direct and indirect jobs. Port activity at the Port of Sept-Îles therefore remains a significant source of wealth creation in Quebec and Canada.

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With this initiative, the Port of Sept-Îles aims at minimizing adverse environmental impacts and also affirms its commitment to the principles of its environmental policy.
The Port of Sept-Îles will thus award a 10% reduction on port dues to all vessels certified by the Green Award Foundation, effective from January 1, 2012.

Mr. Jan Fransen, managing director of the Green Award Foundation, has welcomed the Port of Sept-Îles and said, “Ports joining the Green Award scheme promote sustainability, quality and safety in port. We are delighted to see the Port of Sept-Îles becoming our new incentive provider. We hope that more ports will follow the Port of Sept-Îles’ example whereby the mutual advantages can be developed further: ports receive more quality ships and ship-owners who want to invest in cleaner, safer ship management are in turn rewarded for this. This is a perfect example of a joint industry tool to Corporate Social Responsibility.”

“The Port of Sept-Îles is very proud to become the third North American port to join the international Green Award program. The sustainable development of our port is of utmost importance to us and this program provides us with the means to promote and encourage environmentally sound practices on the part of ship management and crew members,” declares Pierre D. Gagnon, Port president and chief executive officer.

The Green Award Foundation has as its objective, the stimulation of safety and environmentally aware conduct of ship-owners, crew and ship. Green Award since 1994 has focused on the worldwide certification of sea-going vessels that go above and beyond the set standards in cleanliness and safety. Sea-going vessels 20.000 DWT and above (crude oil tankers, dry bulk carriers and LNG carriers) are evaluated on their technical condition, quality of the crew and the management onshore. Those that comply with the criteria receive the Green Award certificate, which, subject to annual verification, is valid for three years. This in turn, is rewarded by ± 30 ports in 9 countries with a reduction on port dues, encouraged by approximately 227 sea-going vessels certified by Green Award. Amongst other Green Award incentive providers, there are nautical service providers and banks. Since recently the scheme is also open to European inland navigation barges.

The Port of Sept-Îles is the most important ore handling port in Canada. Open year-round, the port is characterized by its deep waters and 10 km wide semi-circular bay. Each year, nearly 25 million tons of merchandise is handled, comprised mainly of iron ore, alumina, aluminum, petroleum coke and limestone. Sept-Îles’ port facilities play a vital and strategic role in the operation of a number of businesses from the region’s primary sector. The port’s annual economic impact is estimated at nearly $1 billion, with some 4,000 direct and indirect jobs. Port activity at the Port of Sept-Îles therefore remains a significant source of wealth creation in Quebec and Canada.

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