Difficulties in the supply chain are likely to continue into 2022, but the invasion of Ukraine seems to have no direct impact on the Port of Montreal, for now.
Difficult access to containers remains a problem for the shipping industry, said Montreal Port Authority (MPA) President and CEO, Martin Imbleau. It will not be fixed for several months, the chief commented at a press briefing Monday at the annual meeting. It will be a little longer than that.
The problem is not a shortage of containers, but the fact that many containers are in the wrong place at the wrong time, and their cost has risen sharply, Mr. Imbleau explains. He pointed out that the situation remains difficult in some ports on the west coast where there is a long wait for ships.
However, the geopolitical crisis in Ukraine does not seem to have a direct impact on the Port of Montreal so far, according to the big boss ofAPM. At the Port of Montreal, we have very little impact because trade with Russia and Ukraine is relatively marginal.
Russia’s aggression, however, further complicates the supply chain.
” There are many Russian and Ukrainian sailors, you need to take thought for them. Our concern is with the medium and long term and the impact on the circulation of cereals and food goods for different countries. “
L ‘APM does not have to return a Russian ship because of Canadian sanctions against Russia. We don’t need to. We had an indication, once, of a ship possibly coming to Montreal and not giving up. We have no action to take on our side.
Difficult working relationship
The assembly ofAPM took place the day after the public outing of the Syndicat des débardeurs. The union accuses the Maritime Employers Association of dragging on the negotiation process, as no one has been forcing it to quickly reach an agreement since the federal government passed a special law on April 30, 2021, to force the resumption of activities. . at the Port of Montreal.
Asked about the union’s grievances, Mr. Imbleau avoided getting involved in the matter, pointing out that theAPM is not the employer and is not on the bargaining table. I have no smarter comment than to say that again, we are looking for an agreement that is as long -lasting as possible, that will restore credibility and unity to the Port of Montreal.
For its part, the Maritime Employers Association said Sunday it would not comment.
The last collective agreement for longshore workers at the Port of Montreal expired in December 2018. The special law prohibits the union from calling a new strike, if it is not liable to a $ 100,000 fine per day of violation. The employer is also obliged to respect the law, under penalty of the same consequences.
In 2021, operating revenuesAPM remained relatively stable compared to 2020 at $ 117.7 million, compared to $ 116.6 million. Net income, in part, rose 18% to $ 16.8 million.
We are very proud of these results, Mr. Imbleau stated in his speech. Despite the crises and difficult years we have experienced, we have more than a positive record in managing our assets.
Source: Radio-Canada
