The captain expressed great honor at this recognition, marking his first participation in such a ceremony in his career. In addition to receiving the traditional cane, the ship’s 23 crew members were given a hat bearing the Port of Sept-Îles logo, as well as a well-stocked basket of local products from Rio Tinto IOC.
The brief ceremony took place at the Rio Tinto IOC port facilities, with Ms. Mylène Lapierre, Terminal Operations Coordinator at Rio Tinto IOC, Mr. Raynald Ouellet, Vice President of Operations and Business Development at the Port of Sept-Îles, and Mr. Joël Richard, Accounting Technician at the Port of Sept-Îles, in attendance.
Flying the Portuguese flag, the 300-meter-long ocean-going vessel, built in 2015 and owned by the German shipping company ThyssenKrupp Steel, will head towards Rotterdam with a cargo of 184,200 tonnes of iron ore concentrate and pellets.
This tradition, now in its 37th edition, aims to celebrate the arrival of the first ship of the year to dock in the Port’s waters and to highlight the impact of port activities within the community. To be eligible, the ship must originate from abroad and depart for a destination outside the country.
ABOUT THE UNIQUE CANE OF THE PORT OF SEPT-ÎLES
In 2012, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of its presentation, the traditional gold-topped cane was specially redesigned to feature a unique and exclusive version showcasing the region’s resources. Inspired by a 3D version of the Port of Sept-Îles logo, this edition of the cane, made of polished and anodized aluminum, stylishly represents the blue highway. The redesigned pommel contains a fragment of iron ore whose shine is reflected in a half-sphere of acrylic. The distinctive gold component has not been overlooked. The seven stars of the Port of Sept-Îles logo, representing the seven islands of the bay, have been meticulously reproduced in 10-carat gold on the cane’s pommel.
ABOUT THE PORT OF SEPT-ÎLES
With diverse and efficient facilities, the Port of Sept-Îles is the largest iron ore port in North America, with an anticipated volume of over 40 million tonnes in 2024. It is also recognized as the most important port terminal for the primary aluminum industry in the Americas by volume of activity. The presence of the Sept-Îles port infrastructure plays a vital and strategic role in supporting the economy of eastern Canada. A pioneer on the Saint Lawrence with the establishment of the first environmental monitoring observatory of its marine ecosystem, sustainability is deeply embedded in its values and actions.
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