Port of Belledune

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Port of Belledune
Port of Belledune.jpg
Bulk carriers unloading at Terminal 2
Port of Belledune
Interactive map of Port of Belledune
Location
Country Canada
Location Belledune, New Brunswick, Canada
Coordinates 47°54′42″N65°50′30″W / 47.91167°N 65.84167°W / 47.91167; -65.84167
UN/LOCODE CABEL
Details
Opened1968
Operated by Belledune Port Authority
Owned by Government of Canada
Type of harbour Deep-water seaport
No. of berths Bulk, liquid bulk, Ro-Ro, and project cargo
No. of wharfs 4 (Terminals 1–4)
Draft depth Up to 14.3 m at chart datum (Terminal 2)
Statistics
Annual cargo tonnage 2,262,021 metric revenue tons (FY2023)
Website
www.portbelledune.ca

The Port of Belledune is a deep-water cargo port on Chaleur Bay at Belledune in northern New Brunswick, Canada.

Contents

History

The port was established in 1968 to serve the Brunswick Mining and Smelting lead–zinc complex and the industrial base developing around the upper Chaleur Bay. [1] In the early 1990s, the adjacent Belledune Generating Station prompted construction of a deep-draft coal and petroleum coke berth (Terminal 2). [2] The Belledune Port Authority was created in 2000 under the Canada Marine Act. [3] The Brunswick smelter, later operated by Glencore, closed permanently in 2019. [4]

After the smelter shut down, the port shifted away from mineral concentrates toward a more diversified mix of dry, liquid, and break-bulk cargo. By the early 2020s it had become a major exporter of wood pellets and other biomass fuels to European power stations, alongside forest products, fertilizer, sulphuric acid, coal, petroleum coke, and aggregates. [5] [6] [7] The federal government has supported upgrades through the National Trade Corridors Fund, including a 2019 commitment of $17 million for expanded laydown and storage areas and related infrastructure on Terminals 3 and 4. [8] [9] A separate $25 million conveyor and storage project announced in 2023 was intended to improve bulk-handling efficiency and lower emissions in partnership with terminal operator QSL. [10]

In 2020 the port authority began work on a long-range development plan for 2022–2052, setting out how Belledune could shift toward cleaner energy and new industrial uses. [11] [12] As part of that strategy, the Belledune Port Authority and Cross River Infrastructure Partners proposed a hydrogen and green-ammonia production plant on port lands using up to 200 MW of firm power, with exports targeted for the late 2020s. [13] [14] [15] In 2025 the port signed a memorandum of understanding with the Port of Antwerp-Bruges to explore a transatlantic supply chain for hydrogen-based fuels and other low-carbon products. [16] [17]

Facilities

The port consists of four terminals that operate year-round with on-dock storage, rail connections, and heavy-lift capability. The main facilities are outlined below.

TerminalOpenedPrimary usesBerth lengthDepth (chart datum)
Terminal 11968Mineral concentrates and sulphuric acid; other liquid bulk cargoes155 m11.0 m [18]
Terminal 21991 Coal and petroleum coke for the Belledune Generating Station; liquid and dry bulk307 m14.3 m [2]
Terminal 3 (M.D. Young)1998Multi-purpose bulk and break-bulk including forest products such as wood pellets and wood chips, aggregates, fertilizer, and project cargo455 m11.3 m [19]
Terminal 4 (Rayburn Doucett)2010 Ro-Ro, barge, and short-sea traffic; oversized project cargo 184 m (Ro-Ro)8.9 m (Ro-Ro) [20]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Port of Belledune Ro-Ro Barge Terminal: Background Information (PDF) (Report). Belledune Port Authority. 2013.
  2. 1 2 "Terminal 2". Port of Belledune.
  3. ↑ "History". Port of Belledune.
  4. ↑ "Glencore announces permanent closure of Brunswick Smelter facility". CNW. Glencore Canada. November 13, 2019.
  5. ↑ "Bulk". Port of Belledune.
  6. ↑ "From industrial decline to biomass boom: Belledune Port's sustainable transformation". Canadian Biomass. May 14, 2024.
  7. ↑ "New Brunswick's Port of Belledune tackles sustainability with green energy focus". Opportunities New Brunswick. March 29, 2023.
  8. ↑ "Government of Canada invests in transportation infrastructure at the Port of Belledune". Transport Canada. June 24, 2019.
  9. ↑ "NTCF projects by mode". Transport Canada. July 12, 2024.
  10. ↑ "This $25 million infrastructure project at the Port of Belledune will strengthen the supply chain while reducing our carbon footprint". QSL. February 27, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Master Development Plan 2022–2052". Port of Belledune.
  12. ↑ "Master development plan supports a clean transition at the Port of Belledune". The Maritime Executive. November 7, 2022.
  13. ↑ "New Canadian export projects unveiled". Ammonia Energy Association. September 14, 2022.
  14. ↑ "New green hydrogen facility proposed for Port of Belledune". Cross River Infrastructure Partners. August 18, 2022.
  15. ↑ "Green hydrogen for Germany: Canadian port unveils ammonia plant plan as Scholz seeks supply deal". Recharge. August 22, 2022.
  16. ↑ "Port of Belledune strengthens its green energy ties with Europe". Green Marine. May 5, 2025.
  17. ↑ "Belledune and Antwerp-Bruges ports firm up transatlantic hydrogen collaboration". Offshore Energy. May 23, 2025.
  18. ↑ "Terminal 1". Port of Belledune.
  19. ↑ "Terminal 3 (M.D. Young Terminal)". Port of Belledune.
  20. ↑ "Terminal 4 (Rayburn Doucett Terminal)". Port of Belledune.
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