Trois-Rivières awards the title of First Vessel of the Year 2026 to VECTIS PRIDE

(Posted on 07/01/26)

The Port of Trois-Rivières has awarded the title of the first vessel of the year to VECTIS PRIDE, marking today 60 years of maritime tradition during a ceremony.

As one of 17 Canadian port authorities and active since 1882, the Port of Trois-Rivières offers, year-round, a wide range of facilities and services to the maritime industry. It is a key player in economic development regionally, nationally, and internationally for major industrial sectors such as aluminium, critical minerals, and agri-food.

VECTIS PRIDE docked at the Port on 4 January, 2026, at 12:05 a.m. after a voyage of 15 days across the Atlantic. The vessel, with its 13 crew members of Filipino, Romanian, Russian, and Ukrainian nationalities, departed the Port of Antwerp on December 20, 2025. Its steel cargo from Antwerp is handled by LOGISTEC and destined for the construction industry.

To win the title of the first vessel of the year, it must come from a foreign port, must have completed its crossing without stopping or calling at another Canadian port, and must also carry out loading or unloading operations in Trois-Rivières.

During the ceremony, Captain Danut Ivan and Chief Engineer Andrei Tyshko received gift baskets of regional products, as well as a print of the artwork A Port, A Team, created by Ms. Caroline St-Pierre, a painter from Mauricie.

Mr. Anick Métivier, President and CEO of the Port, highlighted the work of LOGISTEC, a company specializing in the handling of all types of goods. He emphasized the ecosystem required and the efforts of all those mobilized to ensure ships reach their destination safely and as quickly as possible.

He also took the opportunity to stress the importance of maintaining a strong City-Port relationship and noted that 2026 will allow the Port to shape an even more ambitious future.

“Today, we highlight 60 years of a tradition that embodies the vitality of our port and our community. The first vessel of the year is not just a ritual: it symbolizes our strategic role in Mauricie and across the country. As the new CEO of the port, it is a special honour to experience this ceremony. It also reminds us that our success is built on the vision and boldness of those who came before me and inspires me to pursue a vision of innovation and sustainable development for generations to come,” Anick Métivier, President and CEO, Port of Trois-Rivières

Built in 2012, VECTIS PRIDE sails under the flag of the Isle of Man. It is 124 m long and 17 m wide. The vessel is docked at section 13 of the Port of Trois-Rivières for about one week. During its stay in Trois-Rivières, it is represented by the Fednav shipping agency.

The first vessel of the year ceremony highlights the achievement of crews navigating the St. Lawrence River in winter. It is the efforts of the many actors in the river system that make winter navigation more possible than ever.

To navigate the St. Lawrence in winter, ships must have a reinforced hull, an adapted engine that heats the water used by the engine’s cooling system to prevent ice formation, and be equipped with advanced navigation systems, such as radars that detect ice.

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