Posted on February 27, 2023
The Port of Montreal has earmarked more than CA$335 million ($247 million) in its new five-year investment plan for its infrastructure on the island of Montreal.
The Port of Montreal is aiming to invest massively in its infrastructure on the island which extends over 26 kilometres between Cité-du-Havre and the east of the island, as the port approaches its full container handling capacity.
These investments are intended to pursue four main objectives for the Port of Montreal:
- Develop and sustain port infrastructure to accommodate the growth of trade, for the benefit of exporting and importing companies and, ultimately, consumers.
- Strengthen, optimise, and streamline the supply chain of Greater Montreal, in a context where the country’s supply chains have been weakened over the past two years by several factors, including labour shortages, inflation, problems supply and warehousing.
- Accelerate the decarbonisation of port activities and the energy transition. Major initiatives have already been deployed in this direction by the MPA, such as the installation of an electricity supply system for wintering ships and cruise ships and the electrification of its fleet of service vehicles. Future plans include the larger scale deployment of electric power systems as well as the development of green fuels.
- Improve the city-port interface. The Port of Montreal wants to invest CA$10 million ($7.4 million) in projects aimed at improving the cohabitation of logistics activities with the urban environment.
The projects planned for the next five years in Montreal include the optimisation of electrical substations, which will enable the port to meet the growing demand for electrical energy.
Other projects include the optimisation of rail capacity, with the addition of 6-kilometre tracks to improve the fluidity of rail transport and storage space, and the modernisation of wharves to accommodate ships in complete safety.
READ: GSTS, Port of Montreal to establish Green Shipping Corridor capability
The announcement was made by Martin Imbleau, President and CEO of the Montreal Port Authority (MPA) this morning during a speech at the Transport and Logistics Forum.
“We want to invest for the future of the logistics chain from the east of Montreal, for its durability, its efficiency, and its harmonious integration into the urban fabric. Our biggest challenge will be to decarbonise our economy and supply chain,” said Imbleau.
The Port of Montreal will invest, with its private partner and the support of governments, in the port expansion at Contrecoeur to ensure that the infrastructure will be sufficient for importers and exporters throughout Quebec.
