CaDCR staff writer
The Montreal Port Authority (MPA) has announced an agreement with Contrecoeur Terminal Constructors General Partnership (CTCGP) – Pomerleau and Aecon – to the design the in-water works for its Contrecœur expansion project through a progressive design-build approach.
“We are proud to be a part of the Port of Montreal’s expansion project in Contrecoeur, which will enable the MPA to realize its innovative vision for the country’s shipping industry,” said Philippe Adam, president and CEO of Pomerleau. “We applaud the use of the progressive design-build model, which prioritizes transparency and teamwork between prime contractor and designer and ensures better planning and sound risk management.
“Together with the MPA team and our partners, we will leverage our know-how and experience in creating world-class port infrastructures.”
Last October, the MPA said it would be using a hybrid approach for the design and construction of its expansion project. In this approach, land side works will be carried out by a private partner, while in-water works (including dock construction and dredging) will be undertaken by the MPA with partner support. Accordingly, in the last few days, the MPA reached an agreement with CTCGP on developing the design aspect of the project.
Under the collaborative DB approach, CTCGP and the master builder (MPA) will work closely together throughout the project’s development phase to finalize the design and arrive at an estimated schedule and cost for the project works. This approach, increasingly used for major infrastructure projects in the province should provide greater predictability and risk management for costs and deadlines.
CTCGP was chosen for the expertise and experience of its partners in infrastructure and transportation, as well as in collaborative DB-type approaches.
“The in-water works are an important component of delivering the new Contrecœur terminal—providing increased capacity to the largest container port in Eastern Canada and supporting continued economic growth in Québec and Canada,” said Jean-Louis Servranckx, president and CEO, Aecon Group Inc. “We look forward to bringing our experience working under collaborative delivery models and building complex civil infrastructure to deliver this vital project with our client and partner.”
The Port of Montreal will build a new container terminal in the municipality of Contrecœur. Connected to major rail lines and highways, this new terminal will eventually represent an additional annual capacity equal to 60% of the containers currently handled in Montreal, to meet the needs of importers, exporters and consumers in Quebec and Eastern Canada.
Project design with CTCGP, along with assessment of cost and schedule, will take place over the next 12 months. At the end of this phase, the MPA aims to award the dock construction and dredging project works based on its procurement processes, and will present an updated implementation schedule.
Planning for the land-based works is also taking place and by summer 2024, the MPA will launch an international request for proposals to select a private partner to build the land side component of the terminal (container yard, buildings, public utilities, and rail connection). This private partner will also operate and maintain the terminal under a DBFOM (design, build, finance, operate and maintain) approach.
A schedule for construction is expected to be released once the outcome of the request for proposals is known, again within the next 12 months.
