“This increase is very satisfactory. It reflects the fact that, more than ever, the Port of Montreal is a real growth force! Several structuring projects also progressed in 2015,” said Sylvie Vachon, President and CEO of the Montreal Port Authority (MPA) at the annual meeting held on May 13, 2016.
Containerized cargo grew 4.1% in 2015. Its volume reached 13.1 million tonnes, or close to 1.5 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units). Almost half of the goods that pass through the Port of Montreal are containerized, making it the Port of Montreal’s largest sector of operations.
Dry bulk, for its part, increased 3.6% to 8.7 million tonnes. The main products handled include grain and iron ore.
Liquid bulk posted an 8% increase, with close to 10 million tonnes handled. This increase can be partly explained by the drop in oil prices, which favoured imports.
Moreover, for the fifth consecutive year the number of cruise passengers reached new heights. In 2015, Montreal accommodated 72 stopovers, for a total of nearly 91,000 passengers and crew members. This is a solid 28% upswing over the previous year.
The financial results, in turn, reflect this sustained growth of port operations. Operating revenues were up 9%, reaching $102.6 million. At the same time, the MPA managed to contain its expenses, which only increased 2.5% to $83 million. These efforts enabled us to achieve an operating profit of $19.3 million.
The year 2015 was also characterized by a non-recurring item of no cash flow effect, related to modifications to past service costs of other employee benefit plans. This non-recurring item combined with financial products resulted in a net profit of $42.2 million.
A year marked by creativity
In 2015, several large-scale projects moved ahead at the Port of Montreal. The MPA’s total capital expenditures amounted to $44 million. The Port of Montreal is an economic, logistics, international and sustainable force that constantly reinvents itself.
In January 2015, the MPA announced the development of a new container terminal in the Viau sector. At the end of its two project phases, the Port of Montreal’s total capacity on the Island of Montreal will reach 2.2 million TEUs.
The MPA also announced the restoration of Alexandra Pier and Iberville Passenger Terminal, a project that is part of the celebrations for Montreal’s 375th anniversary in 2017.
Several other projects shaped the year 2015 at the Port of Montreal, including the installation of shore power and the implementation of the GHG Project. The MPA also began the federal environmental process required for the future development of a container terminal at Contrecœur.
Moreover, the MPA continued to strengthen in community relations, largely through its community investment policy, holding open houses and its Good Neighbourhood Committee.