Lowlands Opal is the first ocean-going vessel from an overseas port to reach the port of Trois-Rivières in 2018, docking on January 4, at 1:10 p.m., following a 16-day non-stop Atlantic voyage. The vessel, with its crew of 20 Indian and Filipino seafarers, had left the port of Sao Luis in Brazil on December 19, 2017 with a cargo of 42,500 tonnes of alumina for the Alcoa aluminum smelter in Deschambault.
Luc Arvisais, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of Trois-Rivières Port Authority, explained: “To receive the title, the vessel must arrive in Trois-Rivières from an overseas port without making a stopover and perform a loading or unloading operation at the port.”
During the 52nd ceremony marking the arrival of the first vessel of the year at the Port, the captain and chief engineer of Lowlands Opal, Capt. Sanjay Pharasi and Pardeep Singh, were presented with a giclée reproduction of the painting À bon port, produced by Mauricie artist Caroline St-Pierre. Gaétan Boivin, President and CEO of the Port Authority, pointed out that 2017 marks 25 years of partnership between G3 Canada Ltd., which operates the terminal, the Port and Alcoa, for supplying the Deschambault plant. As Mr. Boivin explained, “Today’s ceremony is a great opportunity to highlight that Lowlands Opal has completed its 22nd crossing with alumina. This is also the second time the vessel has achieved the feat of being the first vessel at the Port of Trois-Rivières, when in 2009 it arrived on January 7th.”
The bulk carrier Lowlands Opal was built in 2007 and is currently sailing under the Singapore flag. It has an overall length of 190 m and a width of 32 metres (Panamax). The vessel was moored at the port for four days. During its stay in Trois-Rivières, it was represented by Lower St. Lawrence Ocean Agencies Ltd. and G3 Canada Ltd. was responsible for unloading the cargo for its client, Alcoa.