Navigation: Prince Rupert, Sept-Îles

A new aid to navigation (NavAid) is the latest initiative to support the safe transit of vessels within the Port of Prince Rupert. The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) and Prince Rupert Port Authority (PRPA) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on a project to introduce a new lighted NavAid in the Prince Rupert harbor.

"As we plan and prepare for growth in the number and size of vessels calling at the Port of Prince Rupert, we're identifying measures to increase the overall safety of vessels, mariners and the surrounding environment of our harbor," said Gary Paulson, the PRPA’s harbor master and vice president of operations. "Working with our industry partners like Canadian Coast Guard, the port authority is taking a proactive approach to ensuring the Prince Rupert harbor maintains its reputation for safe, secure and sustainable operations now and in the future."

Through regular Port Operations Committee meetings, harbor user groups like the BC Coast Pilots expressed a need for an additional NavAid in Fairview Channel, the deep water channel leading to Prince Rupert's inner harbor. Following a NavAid review, the CCG concurred with local users and identified that a fixed light at Philips Point would enhance the safe transit of commercial vessels. The location provides a shore marker visible to mariners from either end of the channel and is useful to all vessels entering and exiting the harbor.

"The Prince Rupert Port Authority has shown leadership in marine safety by initiating this MOU, which will allow this and future NavAid projects to proceed as required," said Roger Girouard, assistant commissioner with Canadian Coast Guard Western Region. "This project is demonstrative of the close working relationship that exists between port stakeholders in Prince Rupert, and our ability to effectively collaborate on issues of marine safety."

Under the recently signed MOU, PRPA will fund the cost to have new NavAids like Philips Point built to CCG specifications. The CCG is responsible for the 15 NavAid sites throughout the Port of Prince Rupert and more than 300 in the North Coast area of British Columbia.

Arriving from Ijmuiden, the Netherlands, at 3:22 a.m. January 1, the bulk carrier M/V Huang Shan was the first vessel of the year to drop anchor at the Port of Sept-Îles. The ship arrived empty and will set sail for Qingdao, China, at the end of January carrying nearly 165,000 tons of iron ore from Cliffs Quebec Iron Mining Ltd.

A cane award ceremony recognizing the port’s first ship arrival of the New Year was held January 22 at the traditional Port of Sept-Îles beginning-of-year reception. Port Authority President and CEO Pierre D. Gagnon awarded the cane to the ship’s master, Capt. Fan Kuang-Yun, who also received gifts from Sept-Îles Mayor Réjean Porlier and Steeve Charest, general manager of Cliffs Pointe-Noire Division.  

The cane tradition at Sept-Iles originated 27 years ago. To be eligible for the award, the ship must arrive from a foreign port and be bound for a destination outside the country.

The port handled nearly 28 million metric tons of cargo in 2013, about the same as in 2012. During the year, the port secured a new client, Tata Steel Minerals Canada (TSMC), which shipped 240,276 tons of iron ore using the facilities of the mining company Rio Tinto IOC.

2013 was marked by intense construction activity on the multi-user dock at Pointe-Noire, requiring an unprecedented investment of nearly C$130 million. The world-class dock, costing a total of C$220 million, is designed to serve new clients from the iron ore industry and will be completed in summer 2014. 

During the year as well, the port hosted its first Chinamax vessel, the CSB Years, which loaded 302,264 tons of iron ore from Cliffs Natural Resources’ Lake Bloom mine in Quebec province for export to China. It was reportedly the largest iron ore cargo ever shipped from a North American port.