A 5th vessel acquisition for Desgagnés in 2017

Quebec City, Tuesday June 27th, 2017 — Desgagnés has proceeded with a fifth vessel acquisition since March 2017, the M/V Nordika Desgagnés, a multi-purpose cargo ship built in 2010. With a length ofNordika Desgagnés 143 meters, she has a deadweight of 17,000 tons and a carrying capacity of nearly 20,000 cubic meters excluding the main deck, at a draft of 9.70 meters. She is equipped with two cranes of 250 tons capacity each which can be combined to lift a total of 500 tons, has an additional 80-ton crane, holds an ice class equivalent to Lloyd’s 1A and can reach a speed of 15 knots.

“As for the previous acquisitions, the addition of the Nordika Desgagnés is part of an important fleet renewal and carrying capacity expansion program”, said Mr. Louis-Marie Beaulieu, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Desgagnés. “With the acquisition of the Damia Desgagnés last March, a brand-new asphalt-bitumen-chemical tanker followed by four cargo ships, the Taïga Desgagnés, the Acadia Desgagnés, the Argentia Desgagnés and now the Nordika Desgagnés, Desgagnés has, in the current year alone, invested close to $115 million in its program focused on expanding both its general cargo and liquid bulk transportation capacity,” he added.

Just as the Taïga Desgagnés, the Nordika Desgagnés can carry general cargo and dry bulk, both in Canada as well as internationally, according to contracts and shippers’ demands. With its carrying and heavy lifting capacities, this vessel is fully adapted for project cargo transportation, i.e. heavy and/or oversized equipment and cargo for major projects.

Let us recall that the operation of such a vessel, in addition to the economic spin-offs and indirect jobs, generates over 30 direct jobs as well as several million dollars in annual economic spin-offs, with the majority of purchases made locally.

This last addition to the Desgagnés fleet bears the name Nordika Desgagnés, a salute to the Canadian Arctic, where she will sail proudly for several months each year in order to serve its communities and the mining industry.

About Desgagnés
Desgagnés, whose headquarters are in Quebec City, is a conglomerate that has specialized since the 19th century in marine transportation of liquid bulk, general cargo, dry bulk and passengers. Its activities also extend to ship repair as well as the rental and operation of heavy machinery. Desgagnés owns and operates a fleet of 21 ships, with a total deadweight of nearly 360,000 tons or over 450,000 m³ of carrying capacity, that sail the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence Seaway System, the Canadian Arctic, the East coasts of Canada and of the United States, as well as all the seas of the world. With an annual turnover nearing 250 million dollars, Desgagnés creates over 1,000 jobs in high season with a payroll of approximately 70 million dollars and generates tens of millions of dollars in annual economic spinoffs.

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Sources:
Benoit Chassé
Vice-President – HR & Communications
Groupe Desgagnés Inc.
(418) 692-1000
benoit.chasse@desgagnes.com

Suzanne Laflèche
Office of the President
Groupe Desgagnés Inc.
(418) 692-1000
suzanne.lafleche@desgagnes.com

Marie-France Daoust

Marie-France Daoust is Director of Corporate Affairs at the Société de développement économique du Saint-Laurent (Sodes). With more than 15 years’ experience in entrepreneurship, 10 years in strategic management within the Quebec government and 5 years in public and government affairs, she stands out for her leadership and ability to bring people together. In her role, she is responsible for developing business growth strategy, forging strategic partnerships, and mobilizing maritime organizations around today’s major issues.