Port of Montreal celebrates 176th Gold-Headed Cane presentation ceremony

MONTREAL, Jan. 5, 2015 /CNW Telbec/ - Montreal Port Authority (MPA) President and CEO Sylvie Vachon officially inaugurated the start of a new year of activity at the Port of Montreal today by presenting the Gold-Headed Cane to Captain Anuj Kararia, of India, master of the Valencia Express, the first ocean-going vessel to enter the Port of Montreal without a stopover in 2015. The Valencia Express left the Port of Lisbon in Portugal, on December 22. It crossed the Port of Montreal's limits on January 1 at 00:06 a.m. Her arrival underlines the fact that the Port of Montreal is open year-round to all ocean-going vessels.

The event also allowed the MPA to recognize the work of Corporation du Saint-Laurent Central pilots Alain Aubé and Alain Lecuyer, who brought the vessel safely into port.

The 176th Gold-Headed Cane presentation ceremony brought together numerous representatives of the maritime industry and Montreal's business and cultural communities as well as political figures including Quebec Minister for Transport and the Implementation of the Maritime Strategy Jean D'Amour, and Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre.

"The presence here today of a captain of Indian nationality who came from as far away as Portugal demonstrates the importance of the Port of Montreal as the engine of Greater Montreal's transportation logistics chain, which is also at the heart of major global logistics chains" Ms. Vachon said.

Registered in the Bermuda, the Valencia Express is 216 metres long. Hapag-Lloyd operates the container ship, which entered service in 1996.

The Valencia Express is docked at Berth 59. The terminal is operated by Montreal Gateway Terminals Partnership.

A very good year for the Port of Montreal

According to preliminary statistics, the Port of Montreal handled more than 30 million tonnes of cargo in 2014. This unaudited figure is higher than our traffic results of the previous year: it corresponds to an increase of nearly 7% in freight traffic. It also represents a historical record for the Port of Montreal. In the still fragile economic context in which we find ourselves, these are very satisfactory results

More good news: the cruise industry is in great shape and following through on its growth momentum that began a few years ago. In 2014, more than 70,000 passengers and crew members sailed to Montreal, up 2% over the last year.

About the Port of Montreal

Operated by the Montreal Port Authority (MPA), the Port of Montreal is a major diversified transshipment centre that handles all types of goods – containerized and non-containerized cargo, liquid bulk and dry bulk. It is a leading container port served by the largest container shipping lines in the world.

The Port of Montreal has its own rail network directly dockside. It is connected to the two national rail networks and a highway system. The port operates a passenger terminal. All other terminals are run by private stevedoring firms.

Port activity supports 18,200 jobs and generates $1.5 billion in economic spin-offs annually.

SOURCE Montreal Port Authority

Image with caption: "Montreal Port Authority President and Chief Executive Officer Ms. Sylvie Vachon, awarding the Gold-Headed Cane to Capt. Anuj Kararia, master of the M/V Valencia Express, the first ocean-going vessel in port in 2015. (CNW Group/Montreal Port Authority)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20150105_C4398_PHOTO_EN_9939.jpg

For further information: Sophie Roux, Director of Communications, Montreal Port Authority, Phone: [phone], [e-mail]