QUÉBEC CITY, June 10, 2024 – Desgagnés is pleased and very proud to announce the addition of two vessels to its fleet. Acquired from long-standing German business partner Briese Schiffahrts, also known by its BBC Chartering trading division, these vessels are designed to serve the isolated communities and industries of the Canadian Arctic, both in Nunavut and Nunavik, as well as the international market.
The first will anchor in the port of Trois-Rivières during the week of June 10, where it will be registered under the Canadian flag and then begin its Arctic season. Delivery of the second vessel will take place in Gdansk, Poland, during the week of June 17, and it will continue its mission on the international market.
Mr. Louis-Marie Beaulieu, Chairman and CEO and majority shareholder of Desgagnés, says he is ” very pleased with these acquisitions, which create more than 80 direct jobs, and which further improve maritime service to northern communities, enabling Desgagnés to maintain its position as a leader in maritime service to the Far North, which it has been serving for nearly 60 years “.
“ These sister ships to the Miena Desgagnés are 147 meters long, have a deadweight of 12,400 mt, and each offers 17,600 m³ of hold capacity, rising to over 24,000 m³ including the main deck. They are equipped with two 250-mt cranes that can be twinned to lift 500 tonnes. With an equivalent ice class 1A and equipped with a 4,800 kW (6,436 hp) engine, they reach a cruising speed of 13 knots; these general cargo carriers, with steerage, specializing in the transport of heavy parcels and special project cargo, are another milestone in the history of Desgagnés, and their names must be significant for the company.”said Mr. Beaulieu.
In order to highlight the contribution of women, who often work in the background but have made an important contribution to the evolution of the company, the ships BBC Arkhangelsk and BBC Russia will be renamed respectively Annette A. Desgagnés and Berthe A. Desgagnés, in tribute to the wives of two of the three founders of Groupe Desgagnés: Annette Bouchard, wife of Maurice Desgagnés, and Berthe Tremblay, wife of Joseph-Arthur Desgagnés. Annette and Berthe both played a significant role in the growth of the Groupe Desgagnés of yesteryear; to learn more about these two great ladies, brief biographies are included herein. A previous ship, the Cécilia Desgagnés, was named in honor of Cécilia Tremblay, wife of Roland Desgagnés, the company’s third founding brother.
With the addition of Annette A. Desgagnés and Berthe A. Desgagnés as well as Marcellin A. Desgagnés acquired less than a year ago, Desgagnés has invested over one hundred million dollars in fleet expansion over the past twelve months.
About Desgagnés
Desgagnés, headquartered in Quebec City, is a conglomerate that has specialized in the shipping of liquid bulk, general cargo, dry bulk and passengers since the 19th century. Its activities also extend to ship repair and the rental and operation of heavy machinery. The company operates a fleet of 23 vessels, 21 of which are owned, plying the St. Lawrence-Great Lakes system, the eastern Canadian Arctic, the east coasts of Canada and the United States, and all the world’s seas. With sales in excess of $400 million, Desgagnés creates some 1,200 jobs in peak season, with a payroll of over $120 million.
Source: Ms Suzanne Laflèche, Groupe Desgagnés inc, Tel: (418) 692-1000, www.desgagnes.com
