The Wolfson Centre for Bulk Solids Handling Technology

Fednav starts Seaway season as it turns 75

(Posted on 27/03/19)

Fednav has inaugurated the 61^st season of the St. Lawrence Seaway with its vessel, the Federal Kumano. At a ceremony at the Saint-Lambert Lock and in the presence of many dignitaries, Fednav's president launched the celebrations surrounding the company's 75^th anniversary.

Fednav President and Chief Executive Officer, Paul Pathy, launches the company’s 75th-anniversary celebrations as its vessel, the Federal Kumano, opens the official inauguration of the St. Lawrence Seaway’s 60th-anniversary season by being the first vessel to transit the Saint-Lambert Lock.

Founded in 1944 in Toronto by the Pathy family, the company moved to Montreal in 1953, and has since grown to become Canada's largest international bulk shipping group. Fednav owns 63 bulk carriers and operates a fleet of more than 100 vessels worldwide, including the largest fleet of Great Lakes-suitable oceangoing ships, the largest fleet in the world of ice-class bulk carriers, and three ice-breaking cargo vessels that service the Arctic twelve months a year. Additionally, it operates 11 terminals in North America.

In the presence of Ministers Marc Garneau and Chantal Rouleau, Paul Pathy presided over the inauguration of the Great Lakes' navigation season. The President and Chief Executive Officer of Fednav said, "Our industry navigates in an increasingly complex world. By offering effective and innovative solutions based on the principles of integrity, responsibility and respect, Fednav stands out and is committed to exceeding the expectations of its customers for years to come."

Fednav is a major player in bulk shipping in the St. Lawrence/Great Lakes System and the Arctic. The company has invested more than $1.5 billion over the past two decades in fleet renewal, in more efficient and environmentally friendly ships. Seven vessels are currently under construction.

The 75^th anniversary of Fednav will be celebrated in each city in which the company has offices: Antwerp, Barbados, Hamburg, Rio de Janeiro, Singapore, Tokyo, and of course, Montreal. Fednav will in the course of the year name its two new ships Federal St Laurent and Federal Montreal, showing the company's dedication to its iconic river and city. "From Montreal, Fednav covers the world," added Paul Pathy.