Friday January 20 2017 – The Trois-Rivières Port Authority (TRPA) paints a positive picture for 2016 as it saw the arrival of 178 vessels, including 18 cruise ship stopovers and 2.8 million metric tons (MTM) of cargo traffic. Profits reached $1.8M, which represents a $300,000 increase from the previous year. In addition, last year was marked by several major announcements, including a $26M investment to make Trois-Rivières’ port facilities more competitive, to which an additional $9M from the private sector was added.
Cargo Traffic Highlights
In 2016, general cargo traffic increased by 26%, reaching 174,000 MT. Liquid bulk traffic increased by 12%, reaching 320,000 MT. Solid bulk traffic decreased from 2.6 MTM to 2.3 MTM. This decrease is mainly due to a decline in grain traffic.
New 23,000 m2 Terminal
Delivered one month ahead of schedule and within budget, the new Terminal 13 is most definitely last year’s most significant event. Specially designed to handle a wide range of products, this area meets the needs of the Port’s current users. It increases the port’s total capacity by 10%. “We are pleased to provide infrastructures that far better meet shippers’ current requirements. Local companies now have better access to foreign markets ” proudly states Gaétan Boivin, President and CEO of the TRPA. Added to this major investment is the construction of Hangers 24 and 25. These infrastructures will have required investments totallising $26M financed in equal amounts by the Canadian government and the Trois-Rivières Port Authority.
New Maritime Terminal
Also worth noting is the recent opening of the maritime terminal, to which the TRPA contributed financially: “The new maritime terminal facilitates logistics, makes us more welcoming by providing a comfortable area for passengers and crew members and allows us to exceed our customer’ expectations,” states Cléo Marchand, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Trois-Rivières Port Authority.
Community Involvement: A Presence That Makes All the Difference
Last summer’s flagship event, the Port, in partnership with Festivoix, opened the doors to Hanger 1 to the public for the first time. The privileged access to the building, part of the Mauricie’s industrial heritage and dating back to the 1930s, enabled festival-goers to enjoy a unique audio and sensory experience as the walls resonated with the performance of Les Voix Chorales.
The Port understands the importance of community involvement and is involved with over sixty organizations. These organizations operate in the cultural, health, education, sports and community service sectors.
Integrating into the Urban Landscape
In 2016, the TRPA kept on working on the embellishment and improvement of the connection between the port infrastructures, and downtown. Among others, a new pedestrian walkway connects Rue St-George to Parc Hector-Louis-Langevin and the Harbourfront Park. Lighting, a sidewalk and landscaping make the area more pleasant and safe.
2017 Prospects: Infrastructure Improvement Continues
Work to extend Dock 10, which will increase the outdoor storage area from 3,000 m2 to 12,000 m2 should start in a few months and represents a total investment of $14.8M. The Canadian government will invest $3.6M as part of the Gateways and Border Crossings Fund. The government of Québec will contribute $4.9M, from the support program for maritime infrastructure investments, adopted following the government of Québec’s Maritime Strategy. The TRPA will provide the remaining $6.3M.
Kickoff of the Industrial Port Zone of Trois-Rivières
A new storage area will be built in the coming year, with $2.5 M in financial aid from the government of Québec. This project, requiring a overall investment of $10M, involves the construction of a hangar and of an outdoor storage surface, on a lot with an area of nearly 40,000 square meters.
“This project will provide an additional storage area to the one along the docks “said Gaétan Boivin, president and CEO of the TRPA. Located in the heart of an industrial sector and less than a kilometer away from the Port, the site offers exceptional road access. It is particularly well adapted to distribution activities and to offer added-value logistics services. “The TRPA is proud to be part of the very first steps contributing to the establishment of the industrial port zone of Trois-Rivières. ” concluded Mr. Boivin.