2020 results: The Port of Québec stays the course despite the pandemic

Québec City, January 12, 2021 – The Port of Québec maintained a significant business volume last year despite the slowdown in many parts of the economy resulting from the pandemic. Hundreds of ships from around the world were accommodated under exemplary control measures, both for imports and exports of merchandise essential to the supply chain of our economy. Merchandise transshipment tonnage remained high even though the cruise ship season had to be cancelled. We were also able to keep moving forward with our plans, including the Laurentia container terminal, entering a pivotal year.

Port operations
The 27 million tonne volume of merchandise handled—down just 7% from the 2019 total of 29 million—reflects how essential the Port’s work really is. The small drop is due mainly to reduced petroleum product consumption associated with lockdowns and the economic slowdown. Volumes were relatively stable for iron ore, and new records were set for gypsum handled and cement imports.
Dry bulk linked to the agrifood industry has jumped 54%, offsetting the 2019 shortfall in merchandise traffic, which took a harder hit from the pandemic and other issues. Also part of the mix were the Port’s new partner and its partner Sollio Agriculture, which continued work on the grain export terminal that started operations in 2020.

As was the case throughout North America, the entire cruise season was cancelled for Québec City and the rest of the St. Lawrence route. The Port began 2020 with an expected 155 cruise ships and 250,000 passengers and crew members. Although the bulk of Port revenue is generated by commodities, the complete disappearance of cruise ships resulted in a drop in sales for the current year. The loss of the indirect economic benefits from cruise ships is however tough on the local tourism industry and the Port will be ready to welcome cruise lines back to Québec City when conditions permit. The Port continued construction of the cruise terminal at Dock 30 in the Estuary sector, and the mobile bridge between the dock and the deck will be added in 2021.

Big plans
The QPA and port operators invested about $125 million in infrastructure construction in 2020. The Sollio Terminal, the second cruise terminal, and the repairs, restoration, and upgrades to the docks were the principal targets, all of which took some of the sting out of the region’s pandemic-related economic slowdown.

The port also continued to move ahead with on its Laurentia container terminal project, with the last phase of the Canadian Impact Assessment Agency’s public consultations winding up in December. The Port Authority did ask the Agency for an extension in order to fully consider the more than 100 briefs received during the process, build on our constructive dialogue with the community to better incorporate local views, and improve certain aspects raised by the First Nations concerning things like fish habitat.

Quote
“A big thank-you to our operators, who made it possible for the Port to keep our business humming despite the tough times we suffered over the past year. It really shows how central the Port is to our economy— a major asset for the city with the high-quality jobs it provides and its ability to keep the supply chain going even in the midst of the pandemic.”

“The coming weeks will afford us an opportunity to continue our conversation with the people and groups that are our neighbours here. It’s important for us to show that the latest mitigation measures we’ve brought in, added to those already planned for the Laurentia project, really work, making any remaining impacts on Limoilou air quality less than negligible. These measures are worth sharing with the groups and individuals who have participated in the consultative process. Every step in that process has given us a chance to make our project even better, and this latest step is no exception.”

Mario Girard, President and CEO of the Québec Port Authority

About Laurentia
With a joint $775 million investment from Hutchison Ports, CN, and the Port of Québec, Laurentia will be the greenest deepwater container terminal in North America. It will provide the fastest and most cost-effective access to North American markets by opening a new marine highway between Southeast Asia and the Port of Québec as of 2024. The Laurentia project will create 7,000 direct, indirect, and induced jobs (equal to 1,750 full-time jobs per year) in Canada during the 2021–2024 construction phase and another 1,000 indirect, induced, and high-paid direct jobs in Canada once commissioned. It will also improve and secure the supply chain and create export opportunities for Quebec and Canada.
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Source:
Frédéric Lagacé
Québec Port Authority
418-929-5031
[email protected]