Busy weekend coming up at the Port of Montreal’s cruise terminal

• The largest cruise ship ever to dock in Montreal is calling into the Port
• Four cruise ships will be docked at the Port of Montreal on Saturday

Montreal, September 22, 2010 – This Thursday, September 23, for the first time in its history, the Aida Luna will call into the Port of Montreal. Having set sail from New York on September 14, the Aida Luna is expected at 7:00 a.m. Thursday. This vessel from the German cruise line Aida Cruise is the largest cruise ship ever welcomed at the Port of Montreal, measuring 252 metres long and can accommodate up to 2,500 passengers and crew. This huge ship will be back at Alexandra Pier for a second time this season, from October 13 to 15.

The Montreal Port Authority is also delighted to be welcoming no fewer than four cruise ships this weekend. That means that this Saturday, September 25, Montrealers and tourists strolling down De la Commune Street in front of Alexandra Pier will not only be able to admire the Aida Luna, but also: the Silver Whisper, with a capacity of 388 passengers, arriving Thursday; The World – dubbed the yacht of millionaires – with a capacity of 657 passengers, arriving Friday; and the Maasdam, with a capacity of 1,266 passengers, which will arrive on Saturday and leave the Port early Saturday evening.

Last year, close to 48,000 passengers and crew members came to Montreal. Again this year, the season is well underway with 27 international cruises on the calendar and 13 inland cruises between Montreal and the Magdalen Islands on the schedule. Information on the arrivals and departures of cruise ships is available on the Port of Montreal website, at: www.port-montreal.com.

About the Port of Montreal

Operated by the Montreal Port Authority (MPA), the Port of Montreal is a major diversified transshipment centre that handles all types of goods - non-containerized cargo, liquid bulk and dry bulk. It is a leading container port served by seven of the 10 largest container shipping lines in the world. Close to 1,250,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) were handled at the Port of Montreal in 2009, representing 11,266,000 tonnes of cargo.

The Port also handled 7,773,000 tonnes of liquid bulk, 2,898,000 tonnes of dry bulk, and 2, 419,000 tonnes of grain in 2009.

The Port of Montreal owns its own rail network, operated directly on the piers. It is connected to the two nationwide railways and a highway system. The Port also operates its own grain terminal and a marine passenger terminal that welcomed 47,534 passengers and crew members in 2009. All the other terminals are operated by private stevedoring firms. Port activity supports 18,200 jobs and generates $1.5 billion in economic spin-offs per year.

Port of Montreal, press release