Sept-Îles welcomes first ship in 2022

(Posted on 10/01/22)

Flying the Japanese flag, the M/V Frontier Harvest arriving from ?skenderun, Turkey, was the first ship of 2022, with arrival at 12:22 p.m. on 4^th January at North America’s largest iron ore-handling port. The ship was in ballast and will be leaving this week for Rotterdam, Netherlands with a cargo of 172,360 tonnes of iron ore pellets and concentrate from Iron Ore Company (IOC). Owned by NYK Line, the ship has a crew of 20 on board.

Due to the health restrictions in effect with the COVID-19 pandemic, the prestigious cane bearing the image of the Port of Sept-Îles was given to Captain Edgar Sulpecio Carvajal LLorente by Iron Ore Company Marine Services. The traditional New Year ceremony at the Port, where the maritime industry and the Sept-Îles business community usually gather to mark the arrival of the first ship, could not take place for a second year in a row, due to the pandemic.

Now in its 35^th year, the tradition marks the arrival of the first ship of the year to call at the port. To be eligible, the vessel must come directly from a foreign country and be bound for a foreign destination.

It was in 2012, at the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the award that the traditional gold-headed cane was specially revamped to present a more contemporary version highlighting the resources of the region. Inspired by a 3D version of the Port of Sept-Îles logo, this new edition of the polished and anodized aluminum cane is stylishly reminiscent of the blue highway. The redesigned pommel contains a shard of iron ore whose lustre is reflected in an acrylic half sphere. The distinctive component of gold has not been overlooked in the new concept of the trophy.

The seven stars illustrated on the logo of the Port of Sept-Îles and recalling the seven islands in the bay have been reproduced in 10-karat gold on the ring of the cane.

The Port of Sept-Îles has an anticipated volume of close to 40 million tonnes for 2022. It is also recognized as the most important port terminal for the primary aluminium industry in the Americas for its volume of activity. The port facilities at Sept-Îles play a vital and strategic role in the economy of Eastern Canada. The Port is also deeply committed to sustainable development, pioneering the first environmental observatory on the St. Lawrence to monitor the maritime ecosystem.