Due to continuing labor disputes at the Port of Montreal, several carriers have made the decision to divert vessels away from Montreal to other Canadian East Coast Ports. There have been numerous announcements by carriers for vessels diverted from Montreal to either Port of Halifax, Nova Scotia or St. John, New Brunswick.
Montreal port workers have been on strike for three weeks, and negotiations are currently at an impasse between employers and port workers. Montreal port is connected to a network of rail lines that offer service from the alternate ports mentioned. The situation is expected to become worse, however, as these alternate ports become overwhelmed by the unexpected spike in volume. As a result, vessel discharging and rail dwell times have increased above normal wait times.
OTS will continue to monitor this situation and provide updates when necessary. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to your OTS Sales representative.