Quebec City – The port authorities of Montréal, Québec, Saguenay, Sept-Îles, and Trois-Rivières have approved a memorandum of understanding with North Sea Port. This initiative will strengthen supply chains between the Saguenay-St. Lawrence and North Sea maritime corridors, stimulating economic growth and fostering innovation.
The agreement on January 30 builds on a memorandum of cooperation signed in March 2018 between the Port of Québec and North Sea Port. By integrating the ports of Montréal, Saguenay, Sept-Îles, and Trois-Rivières, the agreement establishes a framework for concrete actions in terms of trade, innovation, and energy transition, which will benefit the various stakeholders involved and the companies using the organizations in this partnership.
The signatory ports are committed to promoting opportunities for the industries they serve, particularly in the bulk cargo sector. Working together, they will identify the most promising sectors and optimize logistics chains linking the hinterland of the Saguenay-St. Lawrence region and Northwestern Europe. These efforts will focus on business intelligence to improve port planning and operations.
The ports have launched initiatives to connect their customers with research institutes, universities, and start-ups. These initiatives will enable ports to become genuine laboratories for innovative maritime solutions. Sharing expertise and exploring new technologies, especially artificial intelligence, will bolster operational efficiency.
The ports will work together to reduce their carbon footprint, exploring low-emission solutions, greening port areas, and introducing alternative fuels. The agreement aims to define sustainable approaches for the medium and long term.
“We’re proud to establish this collaborative partnership with North Sea Port, linking the Saguenay-St. Lawrence corridor with a vibrant region like the North Sea. The aim is to foster active collaboration between the two groups for mutually profitable benefits on important issues and opportunities like decarbonization, business intelligence, and innovation,” emphasized Julie Gascon, Olga Farman, Carl Laberge, Pierre D. Gagnon, and Gaétan Boivin, CEOs of the port authorities of Montréal, Québec, Saguenay, Sept-Îles, and Trois-Rivières respectively.
“Canada is North Sea Port’s fourth most important trading partner in terms of cargo throughput. Our location in Western Europe is of great strategic importance for cooperation with the ports of Montréal, Québec, Saguenay, Sept-Îles en Trois-Rivières. Cooperation with these five Canadian ports can only be beneficial,” said Maarten den Dekker, Chief Sustainability and Digital Officer of North Sea Port.”
About North Sea Port
North Sea Port is a cross-border port area stretching 60 km from Vlissingen, on the North Sea in the Netherlands, to Ghent, 32 km inland in Belgium, via Terneuzen. As a central hub in Western Europe, the port specializes in multimodal transportation (sea, rail, road, pipeline, and barge) and a wide range of goods. North Sea Port generates 12.7 billion euros in added value per year, ranking third among European ports. In terms of cargo throughput, it ranks ninth among Europe’s largest ports, with 66.3 million tonnes. The port area is home to 550 companies, creating 106,000 direct and indirect jobs. North Sea Port is fully committed to becoming a climate-neutral port by 2050, which will be achieved through energy transition as well as the development of sustainable and efficient transportation.
In the photo, from left to right: Carl Laberge, CEO of the Port of Saguenay; Gaétan Boivin, CEO of the Port of Trois-Rivières; Julie Gascon, CEO of the Port of Montreal; Olga Farman, new CEO of the Port of Quebec; Mario Girard, CEO of the Port of Quebec; and Pierre Gagnon, CEO of the Port of Sept-Îles.
Photo of North Sea ports