MV Anette, operated and chartered by MST Mineralien Schiffahrt Gmbh and sailing under the flag of Liberia, was the first foreign vessel to reach the port of Trois-Rivières on January 6, having sailed non-stop from Vila do Conde Brasil to deliver 11,206 tonnes of liquid clay. The bulk carrier was built in 2003, measures 179 metres in length and has a capacity of 25,568 tonnes. While in port, Anette was represented by Lower St. Lawrence Ocean Agencies Ltd., while unloading was performed by Servitank, a subsidiary of Groupe Somavrac.
To celebrate the occasion, a reproduction of a painting by local artist Caroline St. Pierre was presented to Peter Demcak, Anette’s Master, and Peter Madarcik, Anette’s Chief Engineer.
Winter navigation on the St. Lawrence river to Montreal is made possible through the use of icebreakers operated by the Canadian Coast Guard. In addition, vessels must carry reduced cargo loads, and must be equipped with a reinforced hull, a modified engine cooling system, and high-performance navigation systems.