Heavy-Lift Vessel Makes Historic Voyage
Supply chain challenges led to a Dutch-operated ship chartered by a U.S. forwarder making a landmark call at a Canadian port. Montreal Gateway Terminals Partnership (MGTP), a terminal operator at the Port of Montreal, announced its inaugural vessel direct from China.
The heavy-lift ship Happy Rover arrived in Montreal on November 14, under a charter agreement with Houston-based forwarder Fracht FWO Inc., according to a release from MGTP. The 453-foot vessel set sail from Taicang, China, on September 29, passing through the Panama Canal on October 29 after a stop in Busan, Korea. It was operated by Biglift Shipping B.V., a heavy-lift shipping specialist based in Amsterdam. This call marked MGTP’s first direct arrival from China in its 50-year history.
After unloading undisclosed cargo for inland transport by truck, the Netherlands-flagged Happy Rover departed the next day for the Great Lakes, heading to Thunder Bay, Canada, as noted in the release.
“The establishment of a direct shipping link from Asia to the Port of Montreal, without the need for transshipment, showcases the efficiency of our trade operations and the capabilities of our facilities in Montreal,” stated Guillaume Brossard, vice president of growth and development for the Montreal Port Authority.
Earlier this year, Fracht and Fracht Canada Freight Inc. contacted MGTP to explore options for moving their customers’ freight through Montreal.
The MGTP facility consists of Sections 62 and 77 container terminals, featuring nine ship-to-shore gantry cranes across 134 acres for handling both dry and refrigerated containers.
“Many of our clients have faced disruptions in the global shipping market, making this innovative solution particularly valuable,” said Benjamin Liewald, executive vice president of projects at Fracht. “This collaboration has enabled us to transport a significant volume of cargo on a single vessel during these challenging times.”
Prior to its Montreal call, the Happy Rover made maritime history by being the first heavy-lift vessel to navigate both the Northern Sea Route and Northwest Passage in a single season, as reported on B.V. Shipping’s website. It also became the first vessel to use the shortest route through the Northwest Passage via Fury and Hecla Strait as a transit lane between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.
