Arctic Gateway, Fednav studying feasibility of year-round shipping at Port of Churchill

Arctic Gateway Group (AGG) says it has partnered with Fednav to study what would be required to support year-round shipping from the Port of Churchill.

The review, now underway and expected to be completed this summer, will examine the operational requirements for navigating ice-covered waters in Hudson Bay. The work will look at known ice conditions and patterns, extended shipping seasons and the efforts and investments that would be needed.

AGG says the study is intended to inform its long-term business planning and does not pre-empt environmental assessments, regulatory approvals or Indigenous decision-making. Any future consideration of year-round shipping or icebreaking would require extensive engagement with Indigenous partners, northern communities, governments and environmental stakeholders.

“As we continue to grow AGG’s business at the Port of Churchill, we need to understand what would be required to support year-round shipping from an operational standpoint,” said Chris Avery, president & CEO, Arctic Gateway Group. “This is about business planning, and it’s one piece of a broader set of work being advanced in Hudson Bay. We’re doing this with full recognition that all future paths involve extensive consultation, regulatory review and alignment with Indigenous partners, communities, governments and industry.”

The company says its work with Fednav is complementary to broader research and planning efforts in western Hudson Bay, including studies of shipping routes, environmental considerations, marine conservation and governance.

“Supporting shipping in this region requires a clear understanding of ice conditions and patterns to identify operational capabilities,” said Isabelle Brassard, executive vice-president and chief operating officer at Fednav. “This work applies Fednav’s Arctic experience to help identify what would be required to safely support year-round shipping from the Port of Churchill.”

Fednav will draw on its Arctic operating experience, including Arctic-certified captains and in-house ice specialists, to assess historical ice conditions, navigation constraints and operational requirements specific to Hudson Bay and the marine approaches to Churchill.