Desgagnés of Quebec City has announced the addition of two vessels to its fleet. Acquired from long-time German business partner Briese Schiffahrts, also known by its commercial division BBC Chartering, these vessels are destined to serve the isolated communities and industries of the Canadian Arctic, both in Nunavut and Nunavik, as well as the international market.
The first vessel will dock at the Port of Trois-Rivières during the week of June 10, where it will fly the Canadian flag and begin its Arctic season. Delivery of the second vessel will take place in Gdansk, Poland, during the week of June 17, and it will continue its mission on the international market.
Louis-Marie Beaulieu, Chairman and CEO and majority shareholder of Desgagnés, says he is “very pleased with these acquisitions, which create more than 80 direct jobs, and which further improve maritime service to northern communities, enabling Desgagnés to maintain its position as a leader in maritime service to the Far North, which it has been serving for nearly 60 years”.
He added: “These sister ships to the Miena Desgagnés are 147 meters long, have a deadweight of 12,400 mt and each offer a carrying capacity of 17,600 m³ in its holds, increasing to more than 24,000 m³ including the main deck. They are equipped with two cranes of 250 mt each, which can be twinned to lift 500 mt. With an ice class equivalent of 1A, and powered by a 4,800 kW (6,436 hp) engine, they reach a cruising speed of 13 knots; these multi-purpose cargo carriers, with tween decks, specialized in the transport of heavy parcels and special project cargo, are another milestone in Desgagnés history, and their names must be significant for the company.”
To highlight the contribution of women who often acted in the background, but whose contribution to the evolution of the company was significant, the vessels BBC Arkhangelsk and BBC Russia will be renamed Annette A. Desgagnés and Berthe A. Desgagnés respectively, in tribute to the wives of two of the three founders of Groupe Desgagnés: Annette Bouchard, wife of Maurice Desgagnés, and Berthe Tremblay, wife of Joseph-Arthur Desgagnés. Both Annette and Berthe played a significant role in the development of Groupe Desgagnés of yesteryear; to learn more about these two great ladies, brief biographies are included herein. Another vessel, the Cécilia Desgagnés, had already been named in tribute to Cécilia Tremblay, wife of Roland Desgagnés, the company’s third founding brother.
With the addition of the Annette A. Desgagnés and Berthe A. Desgagnés, as well as the Marcellin A. Desgagnés acquired less than a year ago, Desgagnés will have invested over $100 million in the expansion of its fleet over the last twelve months.
