The Virginiaborg became the first ocean-going vessel to reach the Port of Montreal without a stopover in 2019, by crossing the downstream limits of the Port at Sorel on January 2, at 3:50 a.m.
The Virginiaborg under the command of Captain Volodymyr Yurchenko, is a bulk carrier operated by Wagenborg Shipping and represented in Montreal by the Lower St-Lawrence Ocean Agencies Ltd. The Virginiaborg left the Port of Porsgrunn, Norway, on December 20.
It docked early this morning at Berth 42 at the terminal operated by Logistec.
Captain Yurchenko will receive tomorrow, as part of an official ceremony, the Gold-Headed Cane, a trophy awarded each year to the Master of the first ocean-going vessel to reach the Port of Montreal without a stopover. This ceremony will mark the 180th anniversary of this great tradition in the shipping community.
About the Port of Montreal
Operated by the Montreal Port Authority (MPA), the Port of Montreal is the second largest port in Canada and a diversified transshipment centre that handles all types of goods: containerized and non-containerized cargo, liquid bulk and dry bulk. The only container port in Quebec, it is a destination port served by the largest shipping lines in the world. It is also an intermodal hub with a service offering that is unique in North America, featuring its own rail network directly dockside connected to Canada’s two national rail networks. The MPA also operates a Cruise Terminal and a Port Centre.
The MPA factors economic, social and environmental components into its corporate initiatives. This commitment is governed by a sustainable development policy whose guiding principles focus on involvement, cooperation and accountability. Port activity supports 16,000 jobs and generates $2.1 billion in economic benefits annually.
