On this second day of January at 7: 17 am the Helena G was the first ocean-going vessel of 2024 to cross the Port of Montreal’s downstream limit at Sorel without a stopover. True to a tradition that dates back more than 185 years, the Montreal Port Authority (MPA) is awarding the Gold-Headed Cane to the vessel’s master, Eduard Voshchuk.
The Helena G sailed from Bulgaria’s Port of Burgas on December 12, 2022. Flying the flag of Portugal, this vessel is carrying gold and pyrite, and it ended its journey at Port of Montreal’s berth 43, operated by Logistec. The Helena G will set sail in a few days bound for Québec city.
Captain Voshchuk, who is of Ukrainian origin, was honoured to receive the Gold-Headed Cane for the first time. He and his crew were highly motivated to win the Gold-Headed Cane. The Atlantic crossing, which took 3 weeks, went off without a hitch.
Captain Voshchuk began sailing at the age of 18. He comes from a family of sailors. His father, grandfather and uncles were all captains, so he decided to follow in his family’s footsteps. Sailing gives him the opportunity to visit other countries and interact with different peoples. This is his second visit to Montreal.
The Gold-Headed Cane inscribed with the name of the winning captain and the ship’s name was awarded by Geneviève Deschamps, Acting President and CEO during a ceremony held at 2:00 pm. aboard ship.
“It was a great pleasure for us to present this year’s Gold-Headed Cane to Captain Voshchuk, master of the first ship to cross the limits of the Port of Montreal’s waters this year. This tradition celebrates the City of Montreal’s rich port heritage and helps draw attention to the crucial work of mariners, pilots and captains from all over the world, who work year-round in a marine industry that is essential to supplying the population with goods and commodities of all kinds,” said Geneviève Deschamps, Acting President and CEO. “Carrying gold to the Port of Montreal, some would say that the Helena G was predestined to receive this prestigious honor! This year’s presentation of the Cane takes on a special character, with part of the ship’s crew and a Ukrainian captain on board. This reminds us of the resilience of the Ukrainian community, which, despite the war, contributes to the smooth running of the international maritime industry,” she added.
Ms. Deschamps also took the opportunity to welcome the captain with bread and salt, a tradition notably present in Montreal’s Ukrainian community, and a sign of respect, hospitality and goodwill for this captain and crew who have spent the holiday season at sea.
The Montreal Port Authority also salutes the work of the Corporation of the Mid St. Lawrence Pilot, Martin Foisy, who safely guided the ship to port.
Preliminary results for 2023
To mark the start of the new year, the MPA released its preliminary (unaudited) results for 2023.
All sectors combined, the Port of Montreal posted a 2% decline in volumes compared to last year, with a total of 35.2 million tonnes of goods handled in 2023, reflecting the impact of a global economic slowdown.
Container volumes were 8.8% behind the previous year’s total of 13.1 million tonnes. This decline was mainly due to a decrease in imports linked to the economic context, i.e. lower consumer demand, as well as a decline in the construction sector. Despite the economic context, exports by Canadian companies to the rest of the world remained at levels similar to 2022.
Even so, some container markets continued to grow, notably Asia, which increased 4% over 2022 imports, as well as those from Ontario and the Midwest, which grew by 2% and 8% respectively on the export market.
The liquid bulk sector rose 7.1% to 13,9 million tonnes, largely as a result of the return to travel and the significant increase in air travel. It is noteworthy that new types of fuel keep gaining market share, such as ethanol, a lower-carbon alternative fuel whose volumes doubled compared to the previous year.
The dry bulk sector held steady at 8 million tonnes. The grain sector also remained stable despite unfavorable weather conditions for farmers.
Lastly, general cargo and non-containerized goods accounted for 0.26 million tonnes.
The results of the 2023 cruise season were positive, confirming the sector’s post-pandemic recovery. We welcomed 23 ships from 15 different companies, with over 51,000 passengers and 16,200 crew members, up nearly 35% compared to the previous year. The average ship occupancy rate reached 86%, compared to 75% in 2022.
(Photo Port of Montreal)
