SEPT-ÎLES, January 5 – Flying the flag of the Netherlands, the M/V Erasmusgracht arriving from Lake Charles, Louisiana, was the first ship of 2021 to call the Port of Sept-Îles, with arrival at 3:30 p.m. on January 2. The ship was in ballast and will be leaving today for Barranquilla, Colombia with a cargo of 10,500 tonnes of aluminum sows from Alouette. Owned by Spliethoff, the ship has a crew of 13 sailors on board.
Due to the health restrictions in effect with the COVID-19 pandemic, the prestigious cane bearing the image of the Port of Sept-Îles was given to Captain Jaap de Boon by Fundy Shipping’s shipping agent. The traditional New Year ceremony at the Port, where the maritime industry and the Sept-Îles business community usually gather to mark the first ship, could not take place due to the pandemic.
Now in its 34th year, the tradition marks the arrival of the first ship of the year to call at the port. To be eligible, the vessel must come directly from a foreign country and be bound for a foreign destination.
The Port took the opportunity to unveil the preliminary results for the year. Despite an unusual year with the Covid-19 pandemic, 2020 will be the second-best year in terms of tonnage since 1974, and the best year since the creation of the Port Authority in 1999, with 33.1 million metric tonnes handled. (photo Port of Sept-Îles)
