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Canada/New England pours $656m into cruise infrastructure

(Photo: Port of Montréal)
Holland America Line's Maasdam alongside at Montréal's newly modernized cruise terminal
Ports in the Canada/New England region have committed a whopping $656m to handle bigger ships, improve the welcome, stay relevant and stretch the season beyond the fall foliage period.

These investments—into larger berths, new or improved terminals, better access, shore power and a host of other services and upgrades—are occurring throughout the region.

Substantial funds have upgraded facilities in homeports like New York, Boston, Québec City and Montréal, as well as emerging ports along the Saint Lawrence River, in the French outpost of Saint Pierre et Miquelon and at numerous ports throughout Atlantic Canada and Maine.

The investments—detailed in a conference session at the Cruise Cruise Canada/New England Symposium in Montréal last week— have gone into works completed in recent years, projects in progress and confirmed future developments, according to Dennis Campbell, ceo, Ambassatours Gray Line, co-moderator of the session.

One vivid example for symposium attendees, who included representatives of nearly 20 cruise lines, was the $78m modernization of Montréal's cruise terminal at Alexandra Pier, which has just become operational.

Among the other investments: $156m in the Saint Lawrence, $89.5m specifically in Québec City, $103.8m in New York, $94m across Maine, $40m in Saint John, New Brunswick, $32m in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, $22.9m in Boston, $20m in Sydney, Nova Scotia, $10m in Halifax and $10m in Saint Pierre et Miquelon.