Category: Press releases

SEPT-ÎLES, December 1, 2009 – The Port of Sept-Îles is pleased to announce that the initial blasting operations carried out in recent days in the Pointe-Noire sector definitively marked the launch of construction and development activities at the site by its new partner, Consolidated Thompson Iron Mines Ltd. (CLM).

As a result of the long-term agreement the two parties signed in late October, the new iron ore mining company will set up storage and handling facilities for its maritime shipping needs. In the coming months the company will be doing extensive work to develop an area of over 20 ha by setting up railroads and major iron-ore handling equipment including rotary car dumper, stacker-reclaimers, and a conveyor system. This work represents private investments of some $100 million and will generate major economic spinoffs in the form of various contracts for the regional community.

“With annual production capacity starting at 8 million tons and plans by CLM to increase its capacity to 16 million tons within a few years, we are pleased to announce that with the arrival of this new partner, the Port of Sept-Îles is affirming its role as North America’s leading iron ore port. What’s more, the increase in volume will make it Canada’s second biggest port,” said CEO Pierre D. Gagnon.

“With the arrival of our new partner in the Pointe-Noire sector and the considerable activities and spinoffs it will bring, we are determined to continue growing and fully assume our important role as a community developer. In 2009 over $160 million in investments were announced from all our partners combined,” noted Carol Soucy, Chairman of the Board at Port of Sept-Îles.

Port activity remains a significant source of wealth creation in Quebec and Canada. The port facilities in Sept-Îles play a vital and strategic role in the operations of many businesses working in the region’s primary sector.

The Port of Sept-Îles is at the forefront of the region’s economy and plays a key role in its development. The Port accounts for some 4,000 direct and indirect jobs and its annual economic impact has been estimated at $1 billion.

SEPT-ÎLES, September 8, 2009—The Port of Sept-Îles is proud to announce today the signing of a financial partnership agreement with the federal government to boost the capacity of La Relance terminal, which mainly serves the Aluminerie Alouette aluminum smelter. Funding to the tune of $15 million, or 50% of the project’s cost, was awarded under the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund, which provides support for infrastructure renovation and construction projects. The announcement was made in the presence of the federal MP from Lévis, Bellechasse and Les Etchemins Steven Blaney, representing the federal government, as well as Aluminerie Alouette representatives and other Sept-Îles dignitaries.

The planned expansion of La Relance terminal represents a total investment of $30 million. The project consists mainly of building an additional silo and material distribution system, increasing the volume the unloading equipment can handle, and boosting the terminal’s aluminum shipping capacity.

Aluminerie Alouette is the biggest aluminum smelter in North America, with a production capacity of 570,000 metric tons a year, or 20% of Canada’s aluminum production. The planned addition of a silo to the raw material storage system will enable the smelter to meet its future raw material supply needs and ensure its long-term survival.

“The planned expansion of La Relance terminal is essential and will create both short and long-term jobs in the region. The project will provide Aluminerie Alouette and other users of these port facilities with the efficient infrastructures they need to remain competitive and consolidate their position as international leaders,” stressed Pierre D. Gagnon, CEO of the Port of Sept-Îles.

“For the second time in two months, our federal partners have given us the means to meet the growing needs of our current and future users by enabling us to carry out this major project for the region. The support is greatly appreciated and we applaud the federal government for this Infrastructure Stimulus Fund initiative, which is so important to our port’s development,” added board chair Carol Soucy.

The Port of Sept-Îles is at the forefront of the region’s economy and plays a key role in its development. It generates an estimated $1 billion a year in economic spinoffs and accounts for some 4,000 direct and indirect jobs.

SEPT-ÎLES, July 20, 2009 – The Port of Sept-Îles is proud to announce the signing of a financial partnership with the federal government to optimize the Pointe-Noire dock, which is used for the operations of Wabush Mines. The sum of $4.5 million was granted through the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund, which provides funding for the rehabilitation and construction of provincial, municipal, and community infrastructure projects. The announcement was made today in the presence of Denis Lebel, Minister of State (Economic Development Agency for the Regions of Quebec), as well as representatives of Wabush Mines and other Sept-Îles dignitaries.

The project to optimize the Pointe-Noire dock represents an outlay of $9,070,000. It will mainly consist of a 50 meter extension to docking station no. 30, with the addition of a pile dolphin at its end, as well as structural reinforcement and rehabilitation of the dock’s concrete deck. The dock extension work will begin once environmental approvals, which are expected in early August, are granted. The work is scheduled for completion by late 2010.

The Pointe-Noire dock was acquired from Wabush Mines in 1998. Over the last ten years, the Port of Sept-Îles has invested more than $10 million in the structure. This new funding will boost business at the dock by providing greater berthing capacity for Wabush Mines and future users, and ensuring that the dock has a longer service life.

“With the anticipated start-up of new iron mines in Northern Québec, these investments are a first step in preparing for the expected growth in iron ore shipments in the coming years. They are key to fully optimizing the potential of the Pointe-Noire dock before going ahead with the addition of new infrastructures,” stated Pierre D. Gagnon, President and CEO of the Port of Sept-Îles.

“The federal government is giving us the means to meet the growing needs of our current and future users, which is essential for future development at the Port of Sept-Îles. I join the port community members and local stakeholders in applauding the federal government for this initiative under the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund, which will help us meet the needs of a rapidly growing market,” added Carol Soucy, Chairman of the Board.

The Port of Sept-Îles is at the forefront of the region’s economy and plays a key role in its development. The Port accounts for some 4,000 direct and indirect jobs and its annual economic impact has been estimated at $1 billion.

Sept-Îles, July 8, 2009 – The Port of Sept-Îles team, in the presence of a number of its partners, including Mr. Ghislain Lévesque, mayor of the City of Sept-Îles, Mr. Georges-Ernest Grégoire, chief of the Innu Takuaikan Uashat mak Mani-Utenam Band Council, and Mr. Claude Parent of Pomerleau, proudly announced the official launch of construction of the Cruise Ship Dock today at a groundbreaking ceremony.

The Pomerleau construction company was awarded the $18.2 million contract to build a dock at the far end of the Mgr. Blanche wharf to accommodate ships up to 315 meters long and carrying up to 2,500 passengers. This major project, which will take 18 months to complete and be ready by fall 2010, will be one of the biggest investments ever in Port facilities since the construction of the La Relance wharf in 1986.

Attracting international cruise ships to Sept-Îles has required nearly $30 million in investments in three separate areas port facility enhancement, improvements to tourism facilities in Sept-Îles, and the creation of tourism facilities in the Innu community. Funding for construction of the wharf was recently secured with the May 19 announcement that both the federal and provincial governments would back the project to the tune of $6.6 million and $6.4 million respectively. The remaining funds will come from the Port, the City of Sept-Îles, and the Band Council.

“After joining local residents in celebrating the arrival of the first international cruise ship to visit Sept-Îles – Holland America Line Inc’s MS Maasdam – we are very pleased to officially break ground and begin what is sure to make Sept-Îles a premier stop on the St. Lawrence River in the coming years,” stated Port of Sept-Îles Chair of the Board of Directors Carol Soucy and President and CEO Pierre D. Gagnon.

The Port of Sept-Îles is at the forefront of the region’s economy and plays a key role in its development. The Port’s annual economic impact has been estimated at $1 billion and generates some 4,000 direct and indirect jobs.

SEPT-ÎLES, May 19, 2009 – At 7 am on Tuesday, May 19, 2009, the MS Maasdam, en route from Fort Lauderdale Florida and flying the flag of the Netherlands, entered history as the first ever international cruise ship to stop over at Sept-Îles. The ship, with a capacity of 1,258 passengers and 557 crew members, sails today for Saguenay.

Note that during its 14 day trip, the ship called the Ports of Charleston, Newport, Bar Harbor, Halifax, Sydney, Charlottetown, and Gaspé. Upcoming ports of call include Saguenay, Quebec City, and Montreal.

During a special ceremony, Captain Hendrik Draper received the prestigious Gold Headed Cane, representing the Port, from Pierre D. Gagnon, President and CEO of the Port of Sept-Îles, who wished to mark this historic event with the celebrated cane traditionally reserved for the first ship of the year, in recognition of this first ever international cruise ship.

“The arrival of the MS Maasdam is the result of the dedicated efforts of the team of Destination Sept-Îles Nakauinanu, who, after two years of organizing, coordinating, and liaising between the numerous key members of our community and the cruise ship industry, can now pride themselves on a job well done. Today we can state without hesitation, mission accomplished!”, declared Mr. Gagnon.

In particular, the Board Chair of the Port of Sept-Îles, Carol Soucy, wished to applaud the contribution of Mrs. Élizabeth Blais, a pioneer in this project and member of the Port of Sept-Îles Board of Directors from 2004 to 2005. “She became involved in “Association des croisières du Saint-Laurent” in 2005 and helped establish Destination Sept-Îles Nakauinanu, where her outstanding dedication and commitment have led directly to the success we celebrate today,” said Mr. Soucy.

The Port of Sept-Îles is at the forefront of the region’s economy and plays a key role in its development. The Port’s annual economic impact has been estimated at $1 billion and includes the creation of some 4,000 direct and indirect jobs.

Sept-Îles, May 19, 2009—The Port of Sept-Îles, together with its partners including the City of Sept-Îles and the Innu Takuaikan Uashat mak Mani-Utenam Band Council, is pleased to announce today that it has entered into a financial partnership with the federal and provincial governments for the completion of its cruise ship dock. This announcement was part of a ceremony welcoming the first international cruise ship, during which the Honorable Denis Lebel, Federal Minister of State (Economic Development Agency for the Regions of Quebec), and Nicole Ménard, Provincial Minister of Tourism, confirmed the respective contributions of their ministries, which will each be equivalent to nearly two-third of project costs.

These financial contributions will be added to those of the local partners, which represent the remaining third, bringing the investments required to complete port infrastructure to slightly over $20 million. The new dock, to be located at the end of the Mgr. Blanche Terminal, will accommodate ships up to 315 meters long with passenger capacities in excess of 2,500 persons. With an 18 month construction schedule, this immense project will be one of the Port’s most substantial infrastructure investments since the La Relance Terminal in 1986.

The overall project to bring international cruise ships to Sept-Îles, which represents nearly $30 million in total investment, has three components: port infrastructures, improvement of tourist facilities within the city, and tourist facilities in the Inuit community. Project financing will be shared by the federal and provincial governments as well as by the Port, City of Sept-Îles, and the Band Council.

“From the very start, all socioeconomic stakeholders in Sept-Îles have agreed on the significant effect that this project will have on regional development as well as its key potential for our two communities, aboriginal and non-aboriginal,” said Mr. Pierre D. Gagnon, President and CEO of the Port of Sept-Îles. “Sept-Îles Tourism, the CLD, SADC, COPIC, the Band Council, and the Sept-Îles Chamber of Commerce have all joined together to support Destination Sept-Îles Nakauinanu (DSIN) in this large-scale project that will let the entire world discover our beautiful area and—in addition to enhancing regional tourism—will help increase the number of tourists who visit Sept-Îles each year.”

“Today, as we celebrate the arrival of the first international cruise ship—the MS Maasdam from the Holland America Line Inc.—in Sept-Îles, our two government entities, through their financial support, are giving us the green light to create the port infrastructure needed to make Sept-Îles a leading port of call on the St. Lawrence in the years to come,” said Mmr. Carol Soucy, Chairman of the Board.

The Port of Sept-Îles is at the forefront of the region’s economy and plays a key role in its development. The Port’s annual economic impact has been estimated at $1 billion and includes the creation of some 4,000 direct and indirect jobs.

Sept-Îles, January 27, 2009 — The Port of Sept-Îles, in the presence of its major partners, the City of Sept-Îles, the Innu Takuaikan Uashat mak Mani-Utenam Band Council, and Destination Sept-Îles Nakauinanu, announced the awarding of a $356,000 contract to Axor Experts-Conseils for detail engineering and the preparation of tender specifications for the cruise ship dock.

Following the preliminary studies begun last May, this new step in engineering efforts will result in the production of final plans for the dock, including cost estimates. It will allow the Port to launch a call for bids for the construction of the dock, which could begin in summer 2009.

With the preliminary engineering phase complete, the Port of Sept-Îles was also proud to unveil the final conceptual plans for the cruise ship dock. The new dock will be located at the Mgr. Blanche wharf and will be able to accommodate ships up to 315 meters long and with a 2,500 passenger capacity. “With an 18 month schedule, this project of almost $20 million is one of the largest infrastructure investments to take place at the Port since work on the Relance wharf in 1986,” declared President and CEO Pierre D. Gagnon.

At the same time, requests for funding from both levels of government to support the cruise ship project are moving forward. All partners have submitted their respective business plans to Canada Economic Development and Quebec’s Ministère du Tourisme. “Working with a three-party financial participation model, we have already confirmed the local contribution from the Port of Sept-Îles, the City, and the Band Council, and are hoping to receive confirmation from the two other levels of government by spring,” said Carol Soucy, Chairman of the Board of the Port of Sept-Îles.

“The arrival of the cruise ships is a great opportunity to diversify our economy. We are proud to see the Port, our greatest development tool, work successfully in close collaboration with its partners to accomplish these major steps towards developing a port of call for cruise ships in the most beautiful bay in the Americas,” declared Sept-Îles mayor Ghislain Lévesque.

“The completion of this major project in partnership with the Port and the City of Sept-Îles helps draw our communities together. Promoting Innu culture through this cruise ship project is a sign of progress in restoring the central role of culture within our own community,” stated Band Council Vice-Chief Mike McKenzie.

“By awarding this cruise ship dock detail engineering contract, we have taken another crucial step toward completing this community project and ensuring its viability,” added Marc Brouillette, Chairman of the Board of Destination Sept-Îles Nakauinanu.

The Port of Sept-Îles is at the forefront of the region’s economy and plays a key role in its development. It generates some $1 billion annually, and creates some 4,000 direct and indirect jobs.

SEPT-ÎLES, January 23, 2009 – The Port of Sept-Îles is pleased to announce that it has renewed its Twin Port agreement originally signed in 1992 with the Port of Vancouver. The ceremony was held today at the Port of Sept-Îles in the presence of Captain Gordon Houston, President & Chief Executive Officer of Port Metro Vancouver, Carol Soucy and Pierre D. Gagnon, respectively Chairman and Chief Executive Officer or the Port of Sept-Îles and other distinguished guests of the Sept-Îles community.

The original agreement was a first among Ports in Canada. For more than fifteen years the Twin Ports have benefited from each others expertise and know how in their respective fields. Over the years, members of each Port have liaised with each other in order to exchange on different avenues such as trade corridors, bulk cargo, the container industry as well as the cruise line market. Promoting the use of short-sea shipping is also at the heart of the sustainable development strategies of both ports in order to support initiatives in the overall reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

In the past year, both Ports have gone through major changes with the amalgamation of three ports on the west coast to create Port Metro Vancouver and a new modern image for the Port of Sept-Îles. “With these major changes at both Ports, the timing was right to renew our Twin Port Agreement. We wish to continue to share expertise from which the other can benefit and pursue with our shared vision of fostering the growth of our Canadian port system,” declared Captain Gordon Houston and Pierre D. Gagnon.

“Recent studies revealed that maritime transportation might more than double in Canada by 2015. As the two largest bulk ports in Canada, we reaffirm today that our willingness to continue the cooperation and assistance is the right action in order to maximize this growth opportunity for our respective regions,” declared Carol Soucy, Chairman of the Port of Sept-Îles.

The Port of Sept-Îles is in the forefront of the region’s economy and plays a key role in its development. The Port’s annual economic impact has been estimated at $1 billion, with some 4,000 direct and indirect jobs.

SEPT-ÎLES, January 14, 2009—The Port of Sept-Îles is proud to announce that its cargo handling activities increased nearly 6% in 2008—over a million metric tons. That means some 22,621,581 metric tons were handled in 2008 compared to 21,367,838 metric tons during the previous year. Highlights include the fourth consecutive year of business volume growth for the La Relance terminal, with 2,174,863 metric tons handled. Aluminum shipments via the Blue Highway remained steady in 2008 with 490,665 metric tons shipped, representing nearly 90% of Aluminerie Alouette production. Traffic at the Port of Sept-Îles diversified in 2008 thanks to the new railway transshipment center and railcar ferry at La Relance terminal. The Georges Alexandre Lebel railcar ferry made over 30 trips during the year, transporting over 30,000 metric tons of goods for our major industries.

“The inauguration of a railway transshipment center served by the Georges-Alexandre Lebel railcar ferry last November marked a major milestone in the Port’s history by providing new infrastructure for our industry, our region, and our projects in the North,” said Port of Sept-Îles CEO Pierre D. Gagnon, adding, “We live in an age where climate change forces us to reduce our environmental footprint by adopting better practices. This new service arrives just in time. By combining more energy efficient sea and rail transportation methods, we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide an alternative to an already overcrowded Highway 138.”

“The success of this project undoubtedly rests on the invaluable assistance provided by the Port’s main users and COPIC (Corporation de promotion industrielle et commerciale de Sept-Îles) over the last fifteen years,” stated board chair Carol Soucy. “In particular, I wish to mention Wabush Mines’ extraordinary initiative in allowing the Port to be linked to their network. This is a testament to the mining company’s desire to support the success and development of the local economy and industry,” he added.

The Port of Sept-Îles is in the forefront of the region’s economy and plays a key role in its development. The Port’s annual economic impact has been estimated at $1 billion, with some 4,000 direct and indirect jobs.

SEPT-ÎLES, January 9, 2009—Flying a Belgian flag, the M/V Lowlands Orchid was the first ship of the year to dock at the Port of Sept-Îles, arriving from Koper, Slovenia at 11:00 p.m., January 8, 2009. Once her cargo is unloaded, the vessel will set off again for Beilun, China on January 10, 2009, with a cargo of 165,000 metric tons of iron ore from the Iron Ore Company of Canada (IOC).

During a brief ceremony on board ship, Captain Acosta Monis was awarded the prestigious gold-headed cane representing the Port of Sept-Îles by Carol Soucy and Pierre D. Gagnon, respectively Chairman and President Chief Executive Officer of the Port of Sept-Îles.

Jean Masse of the City of Sept-Îles and IOC’s Robert Girardin and Patrice Tremblay also offered gifts.

This tradition, now in its 22rd year, celebrates the arrival of the first ship of the year to dock at the Port of Sept-Îles. To be eligible, the vessel must arrive from another country and leave for a destination outside Canada.

The Port of Sept-Îles is at the forefront of the region’s economy and plays a key role in its development. The Port’s annual economic impact has been estimated at $1 billion, with some 4,000 direct and indirect jobs.