PORT OF MONTREAL

Montreal is also one of the busiest inland ports in the world and a key transfer point for transatlantic cargo. Along with its port, the metropolis has railway and highway networks leading to all parts of North America. Montreal is also one of the main cruise attractions on the St. Lawrence River and the North American East Coast.

Linked to more than 100 countries around the world by many reputable shipping lines, the Port of Montreal is located on one of the largest navigable waterways in the world – the majestic St. Lawrence River – and offers the shortest route between major European and Mediterranean ports and North American markets. Situated 1,600 kilometres inland from the Atlantic, it is the international port closest to North America’s industrial heartland, representing a hinterland of some 100 million Canadian and American consumers.

Of all the ports along the North American East Coast, Montreal is the one that offers, year-round, the fastest, most direct and most economical access to major markets in Central Canada, the U.S. Midwest and the U.S. Northeast. Ships need only stop at one port - Montreal – to access these vast markets. Nearly all shipping lines offering regular service to the Port of Montreal fully unload and load their vessels here, offering considerable savings in time and money. Transatlantic, rail and road links interconnect to shorten distances and reduce door-to-door cargo transportation costs.
A leader among container ports serving the North Atlantic, every year the Port of Montreal handles more than 20 million tonnes of highly-diversified cargo: containerized and non-containerized general cargo, grain and other dry bulk, petroleum and other liquid bulk products. Its export and import container traffic is such that it fosters economies of scale, allowing shipping lines to offer regular, high-frequency services which are particularly appreciated by companies requiring just-in-time delivery.
Economic impactIn addition to facilitating exports and supplying industry with all types of raw materials and finished products, the Port of Montreal creates close to 18,000 direct and indirect jobs, and generates business revenues of almost $2 billion annually.
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Caribbean Port Industry Information

Ports in the Caribbean region are extremely diverse in their structure, governance and in the cargoes that move across their wharves. Many are ports-of-call for major cruise lines and serve as tourist destinations. Others are transshipment points for cargo coming to and from the United States and other countries.

Resources:

Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
Caribbean Shipping Association

Canadian Port Industry

Canada's major seaports, on the East and West Coasts and on the Great Lakes, are governed and managed by federal port authorities. The Canada Marine Act, which took effect in January 1999, created a National Ports System that now consists of 17 independently managed Canada Port Authorities (CPAs). In 2003, CPAs accounted for 58% of the international trade, 36.4% of the domestic trade, and 100% of the container traffic handled by Canadian ports. Unlike their U.S. counterparts, Canadian port authorities are for the most part prohibited from engaging in in activity unrelated to their maritime functions, such as airport, rail or toll bridge operations. CPAs are also required to be financially self-sufficient and must pay be a tax or dividend to the national government. They are subject to rigorous disclosure requirements as well.

Many other ports that previously were owned and managed by the federal transport agency, Transport Canada, have been transferred, or "divested" to provincial and municipal entities or to the private sector.

As of March 31, 2006, Transport Canada had transferred, deproclaimed (to revoke the designation of a port as a public facility) or terminated its interest at 466 of the 549 sites identified at the outset of the program. The agency claims that the process "has saved Canadian taxpayers more than $210 million, and accounts for 85 per cent of Transport Canada’s public port inventory." Only 83 ports remained to be divested as of that date.

U.S. Port Industry

America's Ports: Gateways to Global Trade

Seaports are gateways to domestic and international trade, connecting the United States to the world. Because of the nation's port system, food grown by Iowa farmers reaches tables in Japan and Russia. Manufacturers in Texas can sell goods and services profitably to foreign countries. And Appalachian and Midwest coal moves through inland waterways and coastal ports to power plants domestically and around the world, providing the fuel to heat and light homes, businesses and cities.

North America's history has been shaped by its ports on the seacoasts, rivers and the Great Lakes. From the late 1400s, the sheltered harbors provided safe refuge for early explorers and settlers. Cities depended on docks and shipping terminals as their communications and commerce lifeline to the rest of the world. As port cities prospered and grew, the bustling wharfs and big ships became less visible, but no less important, as major highways and tall buildings dominated the waterfront.
For more information, download U.S. Ports Fact Sheet.

Ports Benefit the Nation

Today, the U.S. is served by publicly- and privately-owned marine facilities located in approximately 360 commercial sea and river ports. These are found along the Atlantic, Pacific, Gulf and Great Lakes coasts, as well as in Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Some 150 state, local and county seaport agencies, navigation districts and port authorities make up the public sector port industry today.

Public ports develop and maintain the shoreside facilities for the intermodal transfer of cargo between ships, barges, trucks and railroads. Ports build and maintain cruise terminals for the growing cruise passenger industry.

In addition to maritime functions, port authority activities may also include jurisdiction over airports, bridges, tunnels, commuter rail systems, inland river or shallow draft barge terminals, industrial parks, Foreign Trade Zones, world trade centers, terminal or short-line railroads, ship repair, shipyards, dredging, marinas and other public recreational facilities. Ports may also undertake community or regional economic development projects beyond those of direct benefit to the port itself.

Ports play a major role in industrial plant location. Many manufacturing and processing industries locate their plants at or near waterfront sites to take advantage of low-cost inbound transportation of raw materials for production and outbound shipments of finished products to both export and domestic markets. Foreign Trade Zones, located on port property, also provide incentives for value-added manufacturing services and trade.

What Moves Through Ports

U.S. ports and waterways handle more than 2 billion tons of domestic and import/export cargo annually. By 2020, the total volume of cargo shipped by water is expected to be double that of 2001 volumes. Much of total domestic production of basic commodities and finished products is shipped by water, including apples, wastepaper, corn, lumber, iron ore, steel, scrap steel, potatoes, phosphate, plastics, film, machinery, and modular homes. About two-thirds of all U.S. wheat and wheat flour, one-third of soybean and rice production and almost two-fifths of U.S. cotton production is exported via U.S. ports. U.S.- produced coal, grain and forest products also compete well in international markets because of our efficient transportation system.

Automobiles and the passenger cruise industry are also highly dependent on deep-draft seaports. For example, reports from the individual ports that handle autos show that the more than 5 million passenger cars, vans, SUVs and light trucks were imported and exported through U.S. seaports in 2007. And, for the cruise industry, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) reports that 9.45 million U.S. residents were cruise passengers in 2007, accounting for 75 percent of all cruisers, while passenger embarkations at U.S. ports totaled 9.18 million, a 2 percent increase and a 73 percent share of global embarkations. CLIA also notes that the North American cruise industry grew by 7 percent in 2007, while creating more than 350,000 jobs and generating $38 billion in total economic output. These economic impacts affected all 50 U.S. states. The top 10 states accounting for 78 percent of direct purchases and 82 percent of the total employment and income impacts were: 1. Florida, 2. California, 3. Alaska, 4. New York, 5. Texas, 6. Hawaii, 7. Georgia, 8. Washington, 9. Illinois and, 10. Colorado.

Imports provide American consumers access to the global marketplace. Electronics, clothing and other consumer goods from China, bananas from Central America, wine from Chile and Australia, and shoes from Italy all make their way to U.S. consumers on cargo ships that arrive at ports. Many products are shipped in big metal boxes called containers. Containers are then loaded onto trains or trucks for delivery to their final destinations. One of our most popular beverages -- coffee -- would not be readily available without ports. Coffee beans arrive on ships and are often roasted at facilities on port property. The roasted beans are then moved by truck or rail to inland markets.