Port of Québec consolidates and expands cruise ship capacity with new multipurpose terminal
QUÉBEC CITY, QC – To meet the growing enthusiasm for Québec City as a cruise destination, the Port of Québec now has a modern terminal as welcoming as the city itself. The official inauguration of Terminal 30 by Mario Girard, President and CEO of the Québec Port Authority, was attended by Chantal Rouleau, Minister for Transport, Minister Responsible for the Metropolis and Montréal Region and MNA for Pointe-aux-Trembles; David Weiser, city councillor responsible for economic development and member of Québec City’s executive committee; and many other dignitaries.
The cruise terminal was built following consultation with the local cruise industry, which had identified the need for a new terminal to improve the reception of cruise passengers in Québec City and ensure a high satisfaction rate. With the commissioning of these world-class facilities, the Port of Québec and the Québec City and Lévis region have solidified their position as a favourite destination among cruise passengers.
“Terminal 30 is the result of the hard work and vision of numerous players who have combined their efforts over the past 20 years to ensure that the Port of Québec is worthy of a UNESCO World Heritage City. In addition to serving large cruise ships, this multipurpose terminal will be available throughout the year for a wide array of events,” said Mario Girard, President and CEO of the Québec Port Authority.
“Our National Capital is a popular destination for tourists from Québec and abroad. The Terminal 30 that we are inaugurating today will certainly increase the level of satisfaction of travellers and encourage them to return to visit our hotels, restaurants, and businesses for many years to come. I congratulate the Port of Québec for completing this important project,” said Geneviève Guilbault, Deputy Premier, Minister of Public Security and Minister responsible for the Capitale-Nationale region, and MNA for Louis-Hébert.
“The cruise terminal we are inaugurating today will allow tourists from here and elsewhere to take full advantage of all the riches that the St. Lawrence River has to offer. It will have important spinoffs for all of Québec. I would like to thank the Port’s teams for all the work that has gone into this major project,” said Chantal Rouleau, Minister for Transport, Minister responsible for the Metropolitan and Regional Affairs of Montréal and MNA for Pointe-aux-Trembles.
“The City is thrilled to inaugurate Terminal 30 at the Port of Québec today. The new port facility is good news for future cruise passengers, as well as for local residents and business owners. I know the new terminal will generate significant economic benefits and drive growth here in Québec City and throughout the region. All of our projects share a common goal: helping Québec City shine bright. This terminal is further proof of that commitment,” added David Weiser, city councillor responsible for economic development and member of Québec City’s executive committee.
Multipurpose equipment
Designed and engineered to meet the needs of cruise passengers and the community at large, Terminal 30 can serve several purposes at once. During the off-season, Terminal 30 offers storage services for pleasure crafts and hosts large-scale events, such as the Imagine Monet exhibition, which runs until September 5, 2022. It also recently served as a vaccination centre for CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale.
Terminal 30 cost a total of $31.9 million to build, divided between the Government of Québec ($15 million), the City of Québec ($5 million), and the Port of Québec ($11.9 million).
As the number one destination for international cruises on the St. Lawrence and the most popular destination for cruise passengers and cruise lines, Québec City receives tens of thousands of visitors each season.
This unprecedented popularity has generated exceptional exposure for Québec City and major economic benefits for the region. The new world-class facilities will accommodate all types of ships and will enhance the customer experience. This will ensure the Port of Québec remains one of the world’s top embarkation and disembarkation destinations.
Terminal 30 in numbers
• Boarding bridge with a span of 21 metres from the waterline
• Can accommodate more than 2,500 passengers at once
• Surface area of 9,447 m2 (ground floor: 5,862 m2; level 2: 3,585 m2)
• Storage area of over 4,500 m2 or approximately 65 boats
• First ship is expected to arrive on August 4, 2022, carrying 3,140 passengers and 1,200 crew members
Cruises with significant economic benefits
Québec City is a popular destination for visitors and has become one of the world’s top destinations for many cruise lines and tourism media. This popularity within the cruise industry helps generate significant economic and tourism benefits for the region.
Port News
Historic Johnston Boiler building ravaged by fire
FERRYSBURG, MI – On Saturday, firefighters managed to save most of the historic Johnston Boiler Company building Saturday afternoon, but not before a fire ravaged portions of the roof and the east walls.
Johnston Boiler built steel ships in the early 1900s and supplied large marine boilers for Great Lakes vessels for many years.
Company president and CEO David Reinink confirmed that no one was in the building when the fire started around 2 p.m. Once firefighters arrived, they began battling the blaze from outside, and also entered the building. A short time later, according to witnesses, a loud explosion sent black smoke billowing in the air and forced firefighters to scramble back outside the building.
It took several hours for firefighters to completely extinguished the blaze. Dozens of Johnston Boiler employees stat and watched in stunned silence as a ladder truck from the city of Grand Haven poured water down on the roof of the building.
“It’s a complete surprise. You can never be ready for something like this,” Reinink said. “We have no idea what caused the fire. We’re going to cooperate with investigators and try to figure out what caused this.”
The front of the building, which faces Pine Street, looked largely undamaged, aside from holes punched in some of the large doors. Reinink said the same can’t be said of the back of the building.
“There’s a section above our oven where the siding is off, where the roof is off,” he said. “That’s the hot spot. That’s where the fires as. They contained it to that area.
“We had a tremendous response from all the firefighters, and we really appreciate that.”
Former Grand Haven City Councilmember Mike Dora recently retired from Johnston Boiler. He received dozens of calls and texts alerting him to the fire, and felt compelled to come down and watch the blaze.
“I retired two years ago after 44 years working — since August 1976,” he said. “I’m really glad to see the fire department got here and got it out. Hopefully it didn’t do too much damage so the guys can get back to work. I don’t know the exact number, but when I was there, there were about 70 people employed there.”
Reinink said Johnston Boiler dates back to the Civil War. “We’ve been around 158 years, and we’ve been in this building a long, long time,” he said.
He was moved at the number of employees who were on site Saturday. “We even have retirees who came back to see if there was anything they could do to help us out. We have employees calling in, they want to help remove the water Monday morning,” Reinink said.
Grand Haven Tribune
