Trois-Rivières – In 2021, the Port of Trois-Rivières recorded a volume of goods handled totalling 3.9 million metric tonnes (MMT), with an estimated value of $5.3 billion. Compared to 2020, this represents a 20% increase in Port activities.
Thus, the 3.3 MMT of dry bulk traffic represented 85% of the total tonnage, liquid bulk with 240,000 metric tonnes, 9%, and general cargo with 340,000 metric tonnes, 6%. A total of 217 vessels docked at the Port.
“Although 2021 was marked by a second consecutive year of upheaval due to the pandemic, we are proud to announce that the Port of Trois-Rivières experienced a sustained level of activity, allowing us to meet the needs of our local and regional industries that operate in major industrial sectors such as aluminum, forestry, construction and agri-food. These results were achieved thanks to the hard work, resilience, and ability to adapt and innovate of our partners, namely our cargo handlers: G3 Canada, Groupe Somavrac, Logistec, and QSL, the longshoremen and all Port workers, as well as our customers and numerous collaborators,” said Mr. Gaétan Boivin, President and CEO of the Port of Trois-Rivières.
On Course for 2030
The Port of Trois-Rivières team has spared no effort over the past year to continue the deployment of the On Course for 2030 development plan. More committed than ever to its vision of being an innovative urban port, the Port of Trois-Rivières has contributed to the advancement of more than 25 research and innovation projects in 2021. These projects focus on themes as diverse as environmental protection, road and rail transportation modelling, improved handling practices and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
While seven projects received financial assistance from the TRPA’s Environment, Innovation and Commercial Growth Funds (Fonds Environnement, Innovation et Croissance commerciale), several other projects received support from external organizations such as the Écoleader Fund, the PREGTI program of the Ministère des Transports and MITACS. “Mitacs is a research support program that has made it possible to support the work of five master’s and doctoral students at the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières. One of these study projects is to design a strategic decision support tool to assist ports in choosing the best practices and innovative technologies. This project is directly integrated into the project to build the port of tomorrow today,” explained Mr. Jacques Paquin, Executive Vice President of the Port of Trois-Rivières.
The Terminal 21 project has continued to move forward over the past year with two important milestones achieved. The Government of Quebec, through the Advantage St. Lawrence initiative, confirmed its support of $22.5 million and, last September, the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada held three public consultation sessions where the Port presented the project to the public. “More than just a port infrastructure, Terminal 21 will be a true innovation laboratory. Our goal is to create a high-performance terminal that will increase the competitiveness of our businesses on world markets, particularly those in our region. This terminal will also serve as the terminal for several generations of port workers,” added Mr. Paquin.
A further step forward for On Course for 2030 was taken when the Honourable Mélanie Joly, then Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages and Minister responsible for CED, confirmed $3.7 million in financial support for the project to build a transportation corridor adapted to the passage of oversized parts and linking the industrial port zone and the Port.
“2022 promises to be just as busy for the Port of Trois-Rivières with other projects under the On Course for 2030 development plan that will make significant progress, always in support of the import and export needs of our mostly local and regional businesses and in keeping with the urban reality that characterizes our facilities,” added Mr. Paquin.
Community investments
The Port of Trois-Rivières continued its community investments by contributing to the mission of 38 organizations working in the socio-community, cultural, environmental, educational and economic development fields. “The Port of Trois-Rivières is certainly an engine of our economy, but it is also a partner that our local and regional organizations can rely on. All the more so since the past year was once again difficult for many of them whose funding activities were disrupted by the health measures,” concluded Mr. Boivin.
And finally, it should be noted that in 2022, the Port of Trois-Rivières will celebrate its 140th anniversary and a program of activities consistent with the health measures will soon be unveiled.
