Windsor Salt and CSL partner on self-unloading ship

(Posted on 17/02/21)

K+S Windsor Salt Ltd. (“Windsor Salt”) and Canada Steamship Lines (“CSL”), a division of The CSL Group, have announced a strategic partnership to build a new state-of-the-art self-unloading ship with a deadweight of 26,000 metric tons that will chart new waters in safe, sustainable and efficient shipping in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Great Lakes region.

Leveraging their shared values of safety, sustainability and innovation, Windsor Salt and CSL began construction of the custom-made vessel in August 2020 after several years of collaborative planning, which included an environmental impact analysis, ship and shore personnel safety reviews, an efficiency evaluation of cargo operations, and navigational optimization.

The distinctive, purpose-designed vessel was created to service Windsor Salt’s need to deliver de-icing salt from its Mines Seleine salt mine on the Magdalen Islands to stockpiles in Montreal, Quebec City, and other destinations within the provinces of Quebec and Newfoundland. Windsor Salt’s consistent and timely delivery of deicing salt helps keep roadways safe during the winter season across Eastern Canada. The new vessel will bring a long-term, safe, sustainable and reliable shipping solution to the region that relies on the Mines Seleine salt mine.

“Through our partnership with CSL, we wanted to prove not only that we could – but we should strive for better – because it’s important to challenge the status quo, especially when we have the opportunity to reduce our environmental impact and improve safety while delivering the deicing salt Canadians know and trust,” said Tom Labash, Marine Distribution Manager for Windsor Salt.

Given the shipping route is located in the sensitive marine environment of the Magdalen Islands in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Windsor Salt and CSL worked together to bring several innovations to enhance sustainability and reduce the environmental footprint of the new ship, including:

Diesel-electric tier 3 engines and a unique hull design that will contribute to cutting CO₂emissions and improve energy efficiency;
A ballast water treatment system that is expected to reduce the transfer of invasive species;
Quieter machinery that will reduce vessel noise to protect the area’s North Atlantic right whales and other marine mammals.

Compared to the previous vessel servicing the same salt routes, the new ship is expected to emit approximately 25% less greenhouse gas emissions and 80% fewer harmful air pollutants.

“We are honoured to be joining forces with our long-time customer Windsor Salt – a visionary partner willing to make concrete commitments to integrate sustainable and safety-first choices into their supply chain,” said Louis Martel, President and CEO, The CSL Group. “CSL is very excited about leading the design and construction of this pioneering ship for our customer and introducing a new level of safety and environmental sustainability in Canadian waters. We would also like to thank the Ministère des Transports du Québec for its financial contribution to the newbuild project, as part of the Ministry’s program to improve the efficiency of marine, air and rail transportation. Thanks to this generous support, CSL is able to acquire and install equipment to reduce the new vessel’s greenhouse gas emissions.”