Port of Montreal is saying “hello” to its partners, clients and potential customers around the globe in a new advertising campaign based on its ‘Trading with the World’ branding. The campaign is one of the several initiatives the Port has introduced as part of its international approach to developing new markets.
“While we have always been an international port, these initiatives reflect our desire to be more commercially active on a global scale in order to develop new markets and respond to changing and emerging markets,” said Sylvie Vachon, President and CEO of Montreal Port Authority.
The new advertisements target broader audiences than in the past mainly because the port now serves more diverse markets than in the past. Whereas Northern Europe still remains the leading trade route with Montreal, being the point of origin or final destination for 46.8 per cent of the containers moving through the port last year, other areas such as the Mediterranean, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America and Africa/Oceania are all now part of the port’s container mix. In the new advertising campaign, one set of ads is geared to the European market, while a second set was designed specifically for the Asian market, and a third set targets partners in North America.
In another effort to be more active internationally, the Port now has representatives to develop specific commercial markets abroad. It recently named a representative who will be working to develop new markets in Southeast Asia and India. He joins representatives already in place in Europe and the United States. The Port is also looking to add a representative in South America.
In another international development effort, the Port has signed a collaborative agreement with Port of Antwerp. The accord strengthens the ties that already exist between the two ports. Port of Montreal is Port of Antwerp’s leading Canadian trading partner. Some 5 million tonnes of cargo moved between the Port of Antwerp and Canada in 2012, and Port of Montreal handled 74 per cent of it. Meanwhile, Port of Antwerp is Port of Montreal’s main trading partner in Europe. More than 20 per cent of the containers moving through the Port of Montreal directly arrive from or are sent to the Port of Antwerp.
“The new advertising campaign, a greater emphasis on port representation and collaborative agreements abroad, and the new port branding are all part of our strategic plan to increase the port’s visibility on an international scale,” Ms. Vachon said. “This strategy positions Montreal as a major international port and will drive trade for our clients, facilitate supply chain performance for our partners, and open up doors to new markets and new opportunities for growth.”