The M.V. Bet Fighter, a vessel registered in the Isle of Man and sailing from Gibraltar, was the first ship to arrive in Sept-Îles this year, at 7:40 a.m. on January 2nd, 2012. The vessel arrived empty and will set sail again January 3rd with 165,000 metric tons of iron ore mined by the Iron Ore Company of Canada, destined for China.
During a short ceremony on board the vessel, Manon D’Auteuil, Director of Environment and Sustainable Development at the Port of Sept-Îles, presented Capt. Vadym Smelsky with the prestigious Gold-Headed Cane bearing the Port of Sept-Îles insignia.
Several gifts were presented to the Captain by Sony Aucoin, Superintendant of Operations, representative of the Iron Ore Company of Canada. Jean Masse, councillor of the town of Sept-Îles, joined the group to welcome them.
This tradition, now in its 25th year, marks the arrival of the first ship of the year to call on the port. To be eligible, the vessel must arrive directly from a foreign port and be bound for a destination outside of Canada.
For its 25th anniversary, the Gold-Headed Cane has been given a more contemporary redesign that showcases the region’s industrial pillars for whom the port represents indispensable infrastructure.
The new polished and anodized aluminum cane supports an iron ore rock whose brilliance is reflected in a half sphere of acrylic. Gold is also front and centre in the new concept: the seven stars of the port’s logo, which represent the seven islands in the Bay of Sept-Îles, have been reproduced in 10-carat gold on the band of the cane. The cane’s shaft is constructed of dark rosewood.