THE PORT OF QUÉBEC RELEASES 2014 REPORT

12/19/2014

Québec, December 19, 2014 – Today, the Québec Port Authority released the key indicators for its 2014 activities. Twenty-four million tonnes of cargo were handled at Port of Québec docks in 2014. These results follow a year marred by an unusually long and arduous winter, which delayed by almost one month the resumption of spring traffic in the St. Lawrence-Great Lakes trade corridor. The general slowdown in the raw materials industry, especially iron ore and other by-products, also played a decisive role in 2014.

Furthermore, there were substantial increases among other merchandise, as was the case for cement and aggregate in the construction industry and, in particular, the grain industry, which was up 40% from 2013, with over 3 million tonnes handled. Note that the QPA and its partners invested approximately $50 million in the last year.

In the international cruise ship industry, Québec continues to be a premier destination for the Canada-New England market as it welcomed 26 different ships and 109 stopovers. The 180,000 or so visitors who set foot on the quays of Québec included over 45,000 crew members and 135,000 cruise ship passengers.

The Port of Québec experienced several milestones in 2014. It welcomed its one millionth passenger since the construction of the Cruise Terminal in 2002. A new record was set for a single day with the berthing of six ships and arrival of 20,000 visitors on October 3. The port also continues to distinguish itself thanks to its embarkation/disembarkation operations. This year, 25 ships chose Québec as a destination, embarking and disembarking more than 62,000 cruise ship passengers, compared to 51,000 in 2013. Note that for the Capitale-Nationale region, an average of $329 is spent per destination passenger and $111 per stopover passenger.

The Port of Québec generates significant economic benefits for the Québec region, with approximately $25 billion in cargo crossing its docks each year. The cruise ship sector brings in $25 million for the city of Québec. In addition, each commercial ship docked at the port injects an average of $600,000 into the economy, primarily in the Québec region. Finally, the port plays the role of a maritime hub, creating 5,000 direct and indirect jobs in the Québec region according to the most recent study by SECOR.

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For additional information:

Anick Métivier
Assistant Director, Sustainable Development and Community Relations
Québec Port Authority
418-648-3640
[email protected]