As part of the Cooperation Agreement signed at the end of 2018 aimed at improving their respective and/or common port services, the port authorities of Montreal and Trois-Rivières are pleased to announce the rollout of three projects that will improve the marine operations of both ports: the implementation of a common extranet portal to manage ship arrivals, the standardization of practices and procedures and the implementation of a single security access control system (Port Pass) for workers and visitors.

The marine operations teams of the Montreal Port Authority (MPA) and the Trois-Rivières Port Authority (TRPA) have jointly developed an IT solution to standardize messages and pre-arrival notification forms (PANs), providing greater simplicity and efficiency for ship owners and crews calling at both ports. This solution is currently being pilot-tested with shipping agencies in both regions and will be deployed to all port clients in the coming months.

The new fully automated common portal, custom-developed by the MPA and TRPA teams, will give clients, shipowners and crews of both ports an efficient tool where they can document a personalized profile, apply for port services and integrate data related to vessel pre-arrival procedures, which is a mandatory procedure in Canadian port waters.

In addition to this portal project, in recent months the port authorities also managed to standardize the content of their Practices and Procedures, simplify the information transmitted to shipping partners calling at the two ports and establish a common basis in their operating rules.

The same logical approach to simplification and operational efficiency is behind the upcoming project for a common Port Pass: a single process to securely access port facilities in Montreal and Trois-Rivières. This project will be developed over the next few months.

“The exemplary collaboration between our two teams is producing results that are making it possible to significantly improve the efficiency of marine operations for the benefit of clients and crews calling at the ports of Montreal and Trois-Rivières,” said Sylvie Vachon, President and CEO of the Montreal Port Authority.

“The results of this promising teamwork contribute effectively to our innovative and sustainable common vision to make the St. Lawrence River system even more efficient and competitive,” added Gaétan Boivin, President and CEO of the Trois-Rivières Port Authority.

About the Cooperation Agreement

Ratified in December 2018, this Cooperation Agreement, which has made it possible to extend and provide a framework for a long-standing collaboration between the Montreal and Trois-Rivières port authorities, aims to improve and enhance their respective port services. Focused on sharing information and best practices, it will ultimately make it possible to increase the productivity, competitiveness, efficiency and safety of port services and procedures. Four work pillars are targeted under this agreement:

  • Marine operations
  • Environmental management
  • Port logistics
  • Port/city relations