Montreal Port Authority (MPA) - Situation at the Port of Montreal, July 21, 10:00 am

Thursday, Jul 22, 2010

The Montreal
Port Authority reports the situation at the Port of Montreal following the
labour dispute between the Maritime Employers Association and its longshore
labour force as follows:

<< - The Montreal Port Authority has obtained an injunction. The purpose of
this injunction is to allow access to the Port and to continue work
unrelated to the employees of the Maritime Employers Association. - The
grain terminal can receive and ship cargo. - The Maritime Employers
Association is maintaining its lockout. - Rail traffic in the Port has
resumed. All the freight cars are being consigned and loaded. Freight cars
that were loaded before the conflict are leaving the terminals. - Cargo on
terminal property is not being handled. - No vessel requiring the work of
longshoremen for its operation is in the Port. - Certain access points to
Port territory are closed: Only the Berri, Viau and Hector-Barsalou
entrances remain open to traffic and allow unhindered entry and exit from
the Port of Montreal. About the Port of Montreal
-------------------------- >>

The Port of Montreal is a major diversified transshipment centre that
handles all types of goods - non-containerized cargo, liquid bulk and dry
bulk. It is a leading container port served by 7 of the 10 largest container
shipping lines in the world. Close to 1,250,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent
units) were handled at the Port of Montreal in 2009, representing 11,266,000
tonnes of cargo.

The Port of Montreal owns its own rail network, operated directly on the
piers. It is connected to the two nationwide railways and a highway system.
The Port also operates its own grain terminal and a marine passenger
terminal that welcomed 47,534 passengers and crew members in 2009. All the
other terminals are operated by private stevedoring firms.
Port activity supports 18,200 jobs and generates $1.5 billion in economic
spin-offs per year.

Source: Canada Wire