Northern Quebec News

Fednav, a Canadian-owned company and world leader in Arctic navigation, today announced that its vessel, the MV Nunavik sailed from Deception Bay en route to China via Canada's Northwest Passage, with a full cargo of nickel concentrate. The Nunavik will be one of the first commercial vessels to transit the Northwest Passage completely, and the first to do so unescorted with an Arctic cargo, and with Canadian expertise. The Nunavik is the most powerful conventional (non-nuclear) icebreaking bulk carrier in the world, and sails from Deception Bay, Northern Quebec year round, transporting product from the Canadian Royalties mine. The Nunavik will deliver 23,000 tons of nickel concentrate to Bayuquan in China.

Oil and gas—and also mining—are the drivers today propelling Arctic maritime operations and the construction of new vessels able to operate in extreme latitudes. While the gas and oil resources can be recovered in the Arctic or far north and shipped to markets by sea or pipeline, the cost of doing must be balanced upon the global market price for those commodities. Ships and marine structures able to operate in the harsh conditions of the extreme latitudes require special designs and construction techniques.

Rolls-Royce won a contract to supply a high-strength controllable pitch propeller for a new ice-breaking cargo ship which will transport nickel and copper concentrates from Canada, through the Arctic ice, to customers in Europe. Canada’s Fednav Limited, one of the world’s largest operators of high ice-class vessels, has agreed a long term transportation contract with Canadian Royalties Inc. for the shipping of concentrates from the Nunavik Nickel mine in northern Quebec. The new ship…

Markey Equipment Selected For New Canadian Super Ice Class Tugs. Markey Machinery is pleased to announce that it has been awarded the order for a complete suite of deck machinery for the most powerful Harbor Class Tugs ever to be built in Canada. The tugs will be operated by Group Ocean of Quebec, Canada for harbor operations, ship escort services, short and long distance towing, as well as rescue operations and wreck removals. The new TunDRA 100 tugs, highly powerful, efficient and versatile…

Fednav Ltd. orders ice-breaking bulk carrier from Sumitomo Corporation & Universal Shipbuilding Corporation, Japan. The new vessel has been ordered in order for Fednav to fulfil a long-term contract which provides for the transportation of nickel and copper concentrates from Canadian Royalties' Nunavik Nickel Project in northern Quebec to customers in Europe as well as the import from Europe of mine supplies and equipment. The Polar Class 4, 25,000 dot vessel,will be built at Universal's Tsu shipyard, and will be classed by Det Norske Veritas. The scheduled delivery date is December 2013.