Fednav’s Arctic experience to bring year-round shipping from Port of Churchill

(Posted on 25/08/25)

 Arctic Gateway Group (AGG) and Fednav Limited (Fednav) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to explore strengthening Canada’s Arctic trade corridor through the Port of Churchill. This collaboration will rely on Fednav’s deep expertise in Arctic marine operations and AGG’s established trade and transportation infrastructure. Informed by AGG’s commitment to Indigenous and northern economic development, this MOU will focus on the evaluation of a sustainable, commercially supported 12-month shipping season through the Port of Churchill.

Fednav is Canada’s largest international dry bulk shipping company. Headquartered in Montreal, it operates a fleet of about 120 vessels—half of which are owned—and delivers over 30 million tonnes of cargo annually.

“This partnership could be a game-changer for the Port of Churchill and Canada’s Arctic trade ambitions,” said Chris Avery, CEO of Arctic Gateway Group. “Fednav’s long-standing leadership in marine operations complements our commitment to strengthening Churchill’s already established position as a northern trade gateway. Together, we’re laying the groundwork for a new era of year-round shipping that reflects northern priorities, the Canadian national interest, and the global demand for Canadian resources.”

The agreement sets the stage for the two organizations to explore the expansion of trade-enabling infrastructure at the Port of Churchill.

“Fednav is pleased to partner with Arctic Gateway to explore this ambitious and forward-looking vision for the Port of Churchill,” said Paul Pathy, Fednav’s President and CEO. “We see tremendous potential in combining our marine and logistics expertise with AGG’s unique ownership model and regional leadership, further establishing Churchill as the key to unlock sustainable growth in the North.”

A joint working group will lead this work, with a strong focus on innovation, commercial sustainability, and the shared commitment to Indigenous and Northern economic reconciliation. All initiatives stemming from this partnership will reflect Arctic Gateway Group’s mandate to ensure northern and Indigenous communities are full participants in, and beneficiaries of, economic development.

“The need for reliable, year-round shipping through Hudson Bay has never been greater,” added Avery. “A sustained Arctic shipping route would provide Western Canada’s vast resource sectors, including energy, agriculture, and critical minerals, with consistent access to global markets. The Port of Churchill stands uniquely positioned to fulfil this national need, with established rail and port infrastructure, and capabilities to ship Canadian resources to world markets through Canada’s Arctic Trade Corridor.”

This work comes as Arctic Gateway Group continues to scale up operations at the Port of Churchill and along the Hudson Bay Railway. The company has tripled the size of its critical mineral storage capacity at the port and increased freight volumes along the Hudson Bay Railway.

The Arctic Gateway Group is a proudly Indigenous- and community-owned Manitoba company that owns and operates the Port of Churchill, Canada’s only Arctic seaport serviced by rail, as well as the Hudson Bay Railway, operating from The Pas to Churchill. Together this northern infrastructure forms the nexus of Canada’s Arctic Trade Corridor, providing a reliable and efficient route for Canadian resources to access world markets.

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