Ocean Shipping  Season  Opens
Port of Thunder Bay

#LSN_Shipping Federal Bering Captain Philips Kuruvilla with Top Hat

THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO  April 24, 2018 (LSN) The vessel M.V. Federal Bering became the first ocean-going “Salty” vessel to enter the Port of Thunder Bay during the 2018 navigation season, berthing at Richardson’s Main elevator Sunday, April 22.  The vessel is loading 21,200 metric tonnes of Western Canadian Wheat in Thunder Bay.  The supply chain for Canadian grain is the longest grain supply chain in the world, and the Seaway route through Thunder Bay is a critical link.  Once loaded, Federal Bering will embark on a 7,800 kilometre journey to the destination port of Casablanca, Morocco. 

Federal Bering, a 200-metre ocean carrier fitted for the Great Lakes, was delivered brand new to Canadian shipping company Fednav in 2015.  Fednav is Canada’s largest international dry-bulk ocean transportation group. Fednav vessels directly exported 1 million tonnes of grain and potash from the Port of Thunder Bay in 2017.

Federal Bering Captain Philips Kuruvilla and Chief Engineer Mario Peter Andrades were welcomed to the Port in a ceremony today.  The Port carried on its tradition of bestowing a Top Hat to the Captain of the vessel opening up ocean-carrier trade at the furthest inland port in Canada. 

City of Thunder Bay Councilor Rebecca Johnson was on hand to provide a welcome from the city, while Bill Hryb of Thunder Bay Shipping offered remarks as the vessel’s local agent.