Traffic in 2011 at Port of Trois-Rivières reached 3.3 million tonnes, a 12 % increase over 2010. It surpassed the 3-million-tonne mark for the first time since 1980, when 75% of the traffic was made up of grain, while today the traffic is much more diverse. Although grain remains strong and has grown considerably over the past years, a wide variety of products now make up 60% of the port’s traffic.
In 2011, grain traffic increased by 16% over 2010, while other dry-bulk products increased by 8%. This resulted in a 12% overall increase in dry bulk that reached 2.7 million tonnes. The liquid-bulk sector, which decreased by 6% in 2011, remained in line with forecasts at 320,000 tonnes. The general cargo sector increased by 51% to 280,000 tonnes. The number of ships that visited the port increased from 216 to 242.
Gaétan Boivin, President and CEO, is pleased with these results. “The entire port community can be proud of this performance because it is the result of a collective effort. Terminal operators, workers, carriers and service companies all helped make Port of Trois-Rivières more competitive. I must point out the efforts of Trois-Rivières Port Authority (TRPA) whose recent investments in Phase I of On Course for 2020 contributed to these results, and also encouraged our partners to invest in 2011, either by means of their handling equipment, storage infrastructures, employee training or environmental technologies,” he said.
“In addition to the tonnage, it is also encouraging to see that the increase in activity at Port of Trois-Rivières included an improved environmental balance sheet and greater economic benefits. The port helped to create new jobs and its relationship with the city and the region’s economic development partners will bring about even greater benefits,” said Pierre Ducharme, Chairman of the Board of TRPA.
First ship of the year
Making its first visit to Trois-Rivières, the M.V. Jutta, owned by MST Mineralien Schiffahrt Spedition und Transport GmbH, was the first foreign ship to arrive at the port on January 1. Built in China in 2001 and flying the Liberia flag, the bulk-carrier is 180-metre-long and 23-metre-wide and has a load capacity of 25,639 gross registered tonnes.
Arriving from Murucupi, Brazil, the vessel delivered a cargo of 10,013 tonnes of kaolin. It was moored to Section No. 20 of the port for a day. During its stay in Trois-Rivières, it was represented by Lower St-Lawrence Ocean Agencies Ltd. while the unloading of fertilizer was conducted by Somavrac.
To mark the occasion, a reproduction of artwork by local artist Pierre Labrecque was presented to the ship’s master Vik Miroslav.