Ocean Group proud to welcome MV Umiak I back to dry dock
Quebec City, April 11, 2024—The Verreault shipyard, a subsidiary of Ocean Group, is proud to announce the return of Fednav, a domestic shipowner of international stature, to its Les Méchins shipyard. Fednav's MV Umiak I, a purpose- built bulk carrier for Vale Base Metals, will undergo its regulatory dry dock starting April 11, 2024.
With the acquisition of the Verreault shipyard in October 2022, Ocean Group now owns three sites specialized in shipbuilding and ship repair. With the l'Isle-aux-Coudres shipyard on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River, the Verreault shipyard to the south, and workshops and dock space available in Quebec City, Ocean Group offers a significant presence and strong expertise to shipowners using the St. Lawrence River.
"Fednav enjoys a strong and lasting partnership with Ocean Group, particularly in the field of port towage services. Our two companies are perfectly aligned in their commitment to quality and safety. Moreover, we are extremely proud of our decision to dry-dock the MV Umiak I in Quebec, a strategic choice that we made in alignment with Vale Base Metals, that not only underscores our dedication to excellence but also significantly supports the local economy. What's more, instead of sending the ship across the ocean for dry-docking in Europe, we're saving fuel and reducing our emissions," explained Isabelle Brassard, Fednav's Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.
A 31,992-ton ice-breaking bulk carrier, the MV Umiak I was constructed specifically for Vale Base Metals, a global mining company, to transport concentrate from its remote Voisey's Bay mine site in northern Labrador to their processing plant in Long Harbour, Newfoundland. The MV Umiak I, which is the Inuktitut name for a supply boat, takes eight trips a year through the Port of Quebec for offloading and onloading cargo operations.
“We are very pleased that the MV Umiak I will be dry-docked in Canada for routine maintenance, not only in terms of supporting local industry and jobs, but this move is consistent with Vale Base Metals’ larger objectives to implement innovative ways to reduce emissions across our operations,” said Roberto Damasceno, Director of Newfoundland and Labrador Operations, Vale Base Metals.
The Verreault shipyard is equipped with a dry dock measuring 244 meters long by 56 meters wide and employs about hundred experienced workers, making it ideally suited to receive vessels like the MV Umiak I.
“The Canadian flagship Fednav is one of the first to review its strategy of returning to Canadian shipyards, and we hope that other shipowners will take similar initiatives to benefit our environment and create local economic spin-offs," said Daniel Arsenault, Executive Vice President of Ship Operations, Construction and Repair of Ocean Group.
ABOUT FEDNAV
Fednav is a privately owned shipping company and Canada's largest international dry bulk carrier. It operates a modern fleet of some 120 bulk carriers worldwide, of which approximately 60 are owned. Headquartered in Montreal (QC), Fednav employs around 215 people and has offices worldwide.
ABOUT OCEAN GROUP
Ocean Group is a major Quebec-based marine company operating primarily in Quebec, Ontario, British Columbia and the Caribbean. More than 1,150 employees carry out a multitude of projects in the company's three main complementary sectors of activity: shipbuilding and repair, port towage, transportation and rental of specialized marine equipment, and dredging.
ABOUT VALE BASE METALS
Vale Base Metals, the business line for Vale’s energy transition metals business, is one of the world’s largest producers of high-quality nickel and an important producer of copper and responsibly sourced cobalt. With a corporate presence in Toronto, Canada, and operations in Newfoundland & Labrador, Ontario, Manitoba, Indonesia, Brazil, the UK and Japan, the business delivers critical building blocks for a cleaner, greener future.
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SOURCES: Philippe Filion, MAP, PRP
Director - Public and Corporate Affairs
Groupe Océan
(418) 694-1414
groupocean.com
Nicole Trépanier
Director, External Relations
Fednav Limitée
(514) 878-6607
fednav.com