Maiden Voyage – First Port of Call Belledune

The Belledune Port Authority (BPA) officially became the first port to ever greet the M.V. “Alaskaborg” as she completed her maiden voyage from Vietnam!

The “Alaskaborg” is registered in the Netherlands and her loading port was Port of Phu My, Vietnam. The vessel’s agent is Calypso Marine represented by Mr. Robert Lagacé. The M.V. “Alaskaborg” docked at the Port of Belledune the afternoon of May 14th, 2009 where the Vessel is currently unloading approximately 72 windmill towers for the GDF- Suez Energy for the Caribou wind farm project in New Brunswick.  The next stop for the M.V. “Alaskaborg” will be at the Port of Matane, Quèbec.

Captain Jurjen Gerritsen and his crew arrived with the first of four shipments of windmill towers that will arrive at the Port of Belledune this spring. This is the first time windmill towers have ever arrived at the Port.

“The Port of Belledune is an ideal port to handle windmill towers. There is plenty of space surrounding the port and the equipment available is state-of-the art. Eastern Canada Stevedoring is proud to be able to offer the experience and the services required to ensure these types of shipments are possible in Belledune; we are very pleased with the partnership and cooperatives efforts that exist at the Port of Belledune to support new business opportunities,” says Mr. Donald Roy, General Manager of Eastern Canada Stevedoring.

Ms. Jenna Doucet, Director of Marketing at the BPA also took the opportunity to welcome the Captain to the Port of Belledune. She also stated that “2009 has begun on a very positive note! We are thrilled to be the first port to ever welcome the M.V. “Alaskaborg”. We have been working hard with our partners at ECS and with the New Brunswick Department of Energy to help ensure that the Port of Belledune was the first choice for windmill tower shipments. The windmill tower projects with other business development opportunities on the horizon are sure to make 2009 an exciting year at the Port of Belledune.”