The Montreal Port Authority (MPA), officially inaugurated the start of a new year of activities at the Port of Montreal by awarding the Gold-Headed Cane to Captain Fuerstenberg of Germany, Master of the Seasprat, the first ocean-going vessel to enter the Port of Montreal without a stopover in 2012. The Seasprat left the Port of Rotterdam, in the Netherlands, on December 20. She entered the limits of the Port of Montreal on January 2 at 06:04 PM.
Her arrival highlights the fact that the Port is open year-round to all transoceanic vessels. This was Montreal's 173rd awarding ceremony of the Gold-Headed Cane.
According to Sylvie Vachon, President , President of the MPA the year 2011 was a very good year for the Port of Montreal. "According to our preliminary data, the total volume of cargo handled at the Port, all traffic combined, is expected to be up just over 9%, bringing it to 28 million tonnes and making 2011 a record year at the Port of Montreal" stated Ms. Vachon.
The Québec Port Authority also awarded its traditional gold-headed cane. The recipient was Captain Sunil Kumar Vij of the Hong Kong registered Federal Rideau. Quebec's first ship of the year berthed at Beauport at 12:25 am on January 4. Arriving empty from the Netherlands the ship will load bulk copper and head for Germany.
The Port of Sept-Îles handed out its 25th Gold Headed Cane to Captain Vadym Smelsky of the M/V Bet Sighter, a Isle of Man registered vessel, sailing from Gibraltar, which was the first ship to arrive in Sept-Îles this year, at 7:40 on January 2nd, 2012. This vessel also arrived empty and set sail again January 3rd with 165,000 tonnes of iron ore destined for China.
The tradition of handing out gold headed canes to the first ships arriving at ports along the St. Lawrence river started in the days when the river froze over in the winter. The first ships - sail ships in those days - did not make it up the river until the spring thaw. Nowadays the St.Lawrence is kept open year round by Coast Guard icebreakers.
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