by Lloyd's List
MONTREAL Port Authority has signed a deal with DP World in Canada for the design of land-based works for a new container terminal.
The Joint Development Agreement plans for the new container terminal, which will be located in Contrecœur, located 50 km north of downtown Montreal on the eastern bank of the St Lawrence River, will be capable of handling 1.15m teu. The Contrecœur terminal is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2030.
Dubai-based DP World, which operates more than 60 ports and terminals globally, will become the fifth terminal operator in Montreal, alongside QSL, Logistec, MGT and Termont.
DP World in Canada, a joint venture between the UAE operator and La Caisse, will be responsible for the land works and operations, including maintenance for a 40-year period.
Plans to finalise the terminal’s design are expected in the coming months.
Construction works, planned to commence in 2027, will cover two berths, a container handling area, an intermodal rail yard connected to the main network, a truck gate and support facilities.
The Port of Montreal is the largest container port in eastern Canada with an annual throughput of 1.5m teu in 2024.
The new Contrecœur terminal will be DP World’s sixth port facility in Canada, joining Fraser Surrey, Nanaimo, Prince Rupert, Saint John and Vancouver.
Julie Gascon, chief executive and president of the MPA, said that the agreement marked a decisive step in realising Montreal’s expansion in Contrecœur.
“This project is designed not only to meet the growing need for business diversification but also to create long-term value by supporting Canadian economic sovereignty as global trade evolves. We are a maritime nation, and the future of international commerce will pass through our ports,” she said.
DP World Canada chief executive Doug Smith said that the Contrecœur terminal would serve as a “true economic engine for Quebec and Eastern Canada, creating thousands of jobs during construction and driving long-term prosperity through expanded trade capacity”.
