[Saint John] Port Development

[cdnguys]

News Release
Executive Council Office
Recycled metal to be removed from AIM facility by ship as task force continues its investigation
12 October 2023
FREDERICTON (GNB) – The following joint statement was issued by the provincial government and Port Saint John:

This weekend, a vessel is expected to berth alongside the American Iron and Metal (AIM) facility in preparation for loading a shipment of recycled metal that was shredded prior to the fire on Sept. 14.

The fire did not impact this product, and it will be exported overseas. Cleaning the area will assist in the investigation.

The AIM facility remains restricted from receiving new product and operation of the metal shredder is not permitted as per the Province of New Brunswick’s order. Only metal that was previously on site and ready for export will be permitted to be loaded.

Removal of this material has the full approval of fire investigator Rob Simonds and the task force examining the events at AIM on Sept. 14.

As with all recycled metal exports the stevedoring work will be completed by ILA local 273. Once loading has commenced, it is expected to take 3-4 days to complete.

[Ottawa]

Originally Posted by cdnguys

News Release
Executive Council Office
Recycled metal to be removed from AIM facility by ship as task force continues its investigation
12 October 2023
FREDERICTON (GNB) – The following joint statement was issued by the provincial government and Port Saint John:

This weekend, a vessel is expected to berth alongside the American Iron and Metal (AIM) facility in preparation for loading a shipment of recycled metal that was shredded prior to the fire on Sept. 14.

The fire did not impact this product, and it will be exported overseas. Cleaning the area will assist in the investigation.

The AIM facility remains restricted from receiving new product and operation of the metal shredder is not permitted as per the Province of New Brunswick’s order. Only metal that was previously on site and ready for export will be permitted to be loaded.

Removal of this material has the full approval of fire investigator Rob Simonds and the task force examining the events at AIM on Sept. 14.

As with all recycled metal exports the stevedoring work will be completed by ILA local 273. Once loading has commenced, it is expected to take 3-4 days to complete.

There is no vessel listed yet to pick up "recycled metal" at https://www.sjport.com/daily-vessel-report

The CHANNEL PEARL is arriving from Argentia, NL on Oct. 14th. There is no indication of what it's cargo will be, so maybe that is it.

[cdnguys]

Reporting on CBC NB that AIM charged for operating illegally in Moncton.

[Ottawa]

"Canpotex Fully Committed on Shipments of Potash through December 31, 2023
NEWS
October 12, 2023
Due to increasing demand for potash and strong engagement in key offshore markets, Canpotex is fully committed on shipments of potash through December 31, 2023."

Copyright © 2023 Canpotex Limited, All rights reserved.

Full statement available at:
https://www.canpotex.com/news/canpot...cember-31-2023

I would guess that this status will likely continue past Dec. 31.

[DyAm00394]

AllNewBrunswick is reporting that Logistec, (a port player), was sold to a US Private Equity Firm (Blue Wolf Capital Partners). https://www.logistec.com/logistec-co...ital-partners/

[Ottawa]

Voluntary rules for handling any crops grown in the City, especially those most exposed to the AIM fire on Sept. 14th.

Anyone choosing to harvest garden crops should wash them well and keep them frozen until test results are available. Alternatively, these crops could be discarded into regular garbage.
People choosing to compost garden crops or soil should consider keeping them separate from existing compost until test results are available.
People should wash their hands thoroughly after handling crops or soil.

There is no date yet for completed soil test results.

[DyAm00394]

Interesting, now a fire broke out at AIM’s facility in St.John’s Newfoundland.
https://www.saltwire.com/atlantic-ca...ity-100903302/

[Ottawa]

Credit: Railway Age Oct. 19, 2023
CSX 3Q23: ‘Improving Sequential Trends’
https://www.railwayage.com/freight/c...ential-trends/

"JOE HINRICHS: We’re putting more than $100 million into the former Pan Am network to get it to our speed requirements. We’re hearing from a lot of customers both in New England but also in the eastern part of Canada about being excited about the opportunity to take advantage of our network to get into the Northeast United States faster, because a lot of that Pan Am network is running 10 miles per hour, and we’re going to be able to run much faster speeds once we get everything finished. That will be next year sometime, not that far away. I can tell you there’s a lot. I was up in Worcester and Boston, and I went up to Portland for NEARS, and had a chance to talk to several groups. We’re hearing from customers that they’re excited about being able to access our network, and our marketing and sales team is ready to go. They’re waiting for us to turn the switch on to say, okay, we’re ready to go fast. I think we’re going to be pleasantly surprised by the opportunity up in New England."

[Ottawa]

A single Canadian Tire container was on the eastbound train on the afternoon of October 16. I don't recall seeing one on this train this year. It leads me to believe their is something happening with Canadian Tire and CPKC/NBSR/JDI.

Possibly this container has been sent empty to fill at Saint John? Or possibly it is full and is being sent to a location to distribute to stores? If anybody can fill in the story on what this single container is for, please proceed.

[cdnguys]

Originally Posted by Ottawa

A single Canadian Tire container was on the eastbound train on the afternoon of October 16. I don't recall seeing one on this train this year. It leads me to believe their is something happening with Canadian Tire and CPKC/NBSR/JDI.

Possibly this container has been sent empty to fill at Saint John? Or possibly it is full and is being sent to a location to distribute to stores? If anybody can fill in the story on what this single container is for, please proceed.

It looks like one of their 60’ containers they use on the CP network (7’ longer than standard). There is no CT distribution centre east of Toronto. I don’t think the container would go on a ship as these 60’ containers are for distribution in Canada to stores. I’d guess it is being sent to the logistics park on Dever Rd - but question remains, is it empty or full? Most of Canadian Tire’s merchandise is made in China so can’t see that type of merchandise coming into Port of Saint John. New customer/business or JDI Logistics???

[FromMaine]

The Canadian Tire container was an inbound load likely destined for their RDC in Moncton. CPKC has established attractive rates and optimized transit time from Toronto to SJ in the hopes of snatching this traffic away from CN. CT has done a few trail shipments here and there but so far not bitten. Typically CT sends retail loads out to their warehouse, and tries to also backhaul import loads (crossdocked from ocean containers) from Halifax or SJ also unloaded at their warehouse. This keeps the containers productively moving loads both ways.

Nonetheless, domestic intermodal for CPKC into Lancaster Logistics has far exceeded expectations, where they forecasted 100 loads per week they’ve been more than double that on a regular basis, including one week where they moved 312 domestic loads this past summer.

[sailor734]

Noticed we had two ships in today. Nice to see all four cranes working.

[Ottawa]

Originally Posted by FromMaine

The Canadian Tire container was an inbound load likely destined for their RDC in Moncton. CPKC has established attractive rates and optimized transit time from Toronto to SJ in the hopes of snatching this traffic away from CN. CT has done a few trail shipments here and there but so far not bitten. Typically CT sends retail loads out to their warehouse, and tries to also backhaul import loads (crossdocked from ocean containers) from Halifax or SJ also unloaded at their warehouse. This keeps the containers productively moving loads both ways.

Nonetheless, domestic intermodal for CPKC into Lancaster Logistics has far exceeded expectations, where they forecasted 100 loads per week they’ve been more than double that on a regular basis, including one week where they moved 312 domestic loads this past summer.

Thanks. Maybe we'll see more of that business when track speeds are 40MPH across the NBSR/EMR/CPKC route to Montreal. I believe most of that route is 25MPH right now. It's coming.

[Ottawa]

The linked video explains a lot regarding how NBSR plans to install continuous welded rail on the mainline from Saint John to the Maine border. In Maine, they will probably proceed in a very similar fashion.

https://youtu.be/AMV2zOXeNjY?si=AElSkOAlXtL_dxqF

Here is exactly where this video was shot:
https://www.google.com/maps/@45.4569...8192?entry=ttu

At the 1:00 point of the video, you see continuous welded rail laying beside the existing track. I believe these are long sections of CWR made from welding 40 foot lengths of 115lb rail together. Look closely and you can see where the weld joints are. This video was made on Sept. 6th, so this rail may be installed already.

New welding methods have improved over old methods to the point where welded rail joints are essentially as strong as one continuous piece of track. I like this idea. It may be a little more labour intensive, and take a little longer, but it is probably more cost effective for where they are currently at, and prepares them for the expected growth and speed requirements in the near future.

[Ottawa]

Originally Posted by FromMaine

The Canadian Tire container was an inbound load likely destined for their RDC in Moncton. CPKC has established attractive rates and optimized transit time from Toronto to SJ in the hopes of snatching this traffic away from CN. CT has done a few trail shipments here and there but so far not bitten. Typically CT sends retail loads out to their warehouse, and tries to also backhaul import loads (crossdocked from ocean containers) from Halifax or SJ also unloaded at their warehouse. This keeps the containers productively moving loads both ways.

Nonetheless, domestic intermodal for CPKC into Lancaster Logistics has far exceeded expectations, where they forecasted 100 loads per week they’ve been more than double that on a regular basis, including one week where they moved 312 domestic loads this past summer.

This container returned on the westbound train on the 23rd. A one week tour of NB from Brownville Jct, Me.

[sailor734]

Article in this morning's TJ two more cranes planned and a cold storage facility purposed. Reading between the lines it sounds like port is pushing hard to at least get AIM's processing relocated offsite if not to get AIM gone completely. Article mentions that monitored security cameras are a condition of AIM's lease and that they had been inoperative for months at the time of the fire. Bell-Estabrooks refused to comment on whether this violation might be enough to evict them.

I suspect a more likely course of action would see some combination of the Port and province paying them off in someway to at least move the processing facility off port land and out of the city center.

[darkharbour]

Originally Posted by sailor734

Article in this morning's TJ two more cranes planned and a cold storage facility purposed. Reading between the lines it sounds like port is pushing hard to at least get AIM's processing relocated offsite if not to get AIM gone completely. Article mentions that monitored security cameras are a condition of AIM's lease and that they had been inoperative for months at the time of the fire. Bell-Estabrooks refused to comment on whether this violation might be enough to evict them.

I suspect a more likely course of action would see some combination of the Port and province paying them off in someway to at least move the processing facility off port land and out of the city center.

I've heard AIM came in asking somewhere near $160 million to cancel the lease (not sure the source, just word on the street), which is clearly not feasible for the Port, province, or the City, but at least they're negotiating to leave now instead of digging in their heals.

[sailor734]

Originally Posted by darkharbour

I've heard AIM came in asking somewhere near $160 million to cancel the lease (not sure the source, just word on the street), which is clearly not feasible for the Port, province, or the City, but at least they're negotiating to leave now instead of digging in their heals.

I wonder just how strong their position is? Could not the province just cancel their operating permit citing frequent and repeated violations of environmental laws as well as health and safety regulations?

I think a more likely outcome is the province giving some kind of sweetheart deal to move shredding and material storage to a remote site with scrap only brought to the port when a ship is in to be loaded.

In the final analysis I suspect the province has the whip hand. It just depends how far they are prepared to go.

Higgs needs to hold Saint John seats, especially Saint John Harbour which might be in play. Getting rid of the eyesore that is AIM and facilitating further, more acceptable port expansion might be a good way to look like a Saint John champion.

[adamuptownsj]

AllNB said the port should just beat last year's record, mostly due to potash, They are exploring not only cold storage (about a year from a deal), but the modernization of the potash terminal and the Rodney terminal too.

This former bulk plant (what kind of bulk, IDK) is a massive waste of space. Could be a good fit for light industry, probably not cold storage due to the location. Maybe something marine oriented? https://paol-efel.snb.ca/paol.html?v...n&pan=01617452

Seeing Pitt and Broadview reconnected in a mini industrial park would be a good transition between the potash terminal and the residential areas to the north and west. Maybe throw on some upper floors of affordable housing where appropriate. It would add some decent jobs, replace brownfield, and so on.

Concept: https://imgur.com/a/AFb8BTv

[DyAm00394]

Port Saint John unveils master planning process

“Big changes are being proposed for Port Saint John as part of a master planning process.

CEO Craig Bell Estabrooks discussed the plan during a Saint John Region Chamber of Commerce event on Tuesday.

Bell Estabrooks said there are eight different pillars that the port is looking to complete over the coming years.

That includes a cold storage facility that is still in the early development phase.

“At this stage, we’re hopeful if we can get a deal in 2024, that would be the optimal timeframe,” Bell Estabrooks told reporters.

Once the deal is finalized, the facility will be located on the west side close to the container terminal.

Another project included in the master plan involves beautifying the land surrounding the port.

Bell Estabrooks said that could involve projects on city-owned and port-operated land.

“A lot of port cities in Europe and in Canada and in the United States, particularly thriving, have this look and feel to them. It just has a vibrancy and there’s so much effort put to sightlines,” he said.

Port Saint John is working with Acre Architects to come up with a 10-to-15-year project list”.

https://www.country94.ca/2023/10/25/...nning-process/