Montreal’s Viau Container Terminal Set to Expand

Montreal’s Viau Terminal will undergo a new construction phase to increase its handling capacity to 600,000 TEUs, the Montreal Port Authority (MPA) and LOGISTEC Corporation said. 

This is its second phase, which continues and completes the most recent container terminal at the Port of Montreal. Its first phase was completed in 2016.

2018 was for the Port of Montreal a fifth consecutive record year, with steady growth in its various fields of activity and a 9% upswing in the container sector with 1.7 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) handled.

This is why the management teams of the MPA and LOGISTEC — through the terminal operator, Termont Montreal — decided to launch the last phase of Viau Terminal.

This new phase will make it possible to add 250,000 TEUs to Viau Terminal’s current capacity, bringing it to 600,000 TEUs.

The project will enable the Port of Montreal to accommodate the anticipated growth in the container sector and reach its maximum capacity on the Island of Montreal, 2.1 million TEUs.

The project works will run from September 2019 to December 2020 and will mainly include installing piles, railway works, dynamic soil compaction, underground infrastructure works, laying foundation, and paving.

Viau Terminal’s final phase is made possible through large investments from three partners — the MPA, LOGISTEC and the federal government.

LOGISTEC Corporation announced that Termont Montreal is investing CAD 30 million (USD 22.5 million) in the final phase of this key infrastructure project that, in turn, will enable the development and growth of services for the world’s second-largest shipping line, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC).

“The increase in terminal capacity is coming at the right time for us. We applaud this announcement as it ensures the future growth of our services in Montreal,” Sokat Shaikh, President and CEO of MSC Canada, commented.

“MSC has grown significantly by more than 10% a year for the past five years. This additional capacity at Viau Terminal will support such growth over the next two years. Then we will have to move on to the next step,” Shaikh added.

“The Port of Montreal is a hub and anchors our network. As MSC’s strategic partners, we are delighted to work with the Port of Montreal and support its expansion. This project reaffirms our commitment to Montreal and our determination to be efficient and reliable as a strategic gateway for Canadian trade,” Madeleine Paquin, President of Termont Montreal, said.

As informed, the works to complete Viau Terminal will end all possible development of container handling spaces on the Island of Montreal. Consequently, the MPA is getting set for the longer-term future of Montreal’s container market dynamics.

The next key milestone in the MPA’s strategic development plan is the major container terminal project at Contrecoeur, where certain major steps are currently being implemented or finalized. Commissioning is scheduled for 2023–2024.

“With the completion of Viau Terminal and the major terminal project at Contrecoeur well underway, the Port of Montreal is actively working to accommodate the growth of the container market for years to come,” Sylvie Vachon, President and CEO of the NPA, noted.