DP World Selected to Design and Operate Montreal’s New Container Terminal

The Port of Montreal, Canada, and DP World Canada have entered into a joint development agreement for the land-based facilities for the port’s new container terminal at Contrecoeur on the St. Lawrence River. The facility has been in the planning stage for years, with work expected to start this year and completion by 2030.

On the terms of the agreement, DP World Canada will work with the port authority over the next few months to finalize the design for the terminal as well as the terms of the construction and operating contract. The contract will take effect with the start of land work, which is expected in 2027. DP World Canada will oversee the construction of the terminal, including the container yard, building, utilities, and rail connection, and will have a 40-year operating agreement.

The Montreal Port Authority began in the 1980s acquiring land in Contrecoeur, which is located approximately 50 miles to the north of the city on the south bank of the St. Lawrence. Port officials highlight that the current facilities on Montreal Island, which handled nearly 1.5 million TEU in 2024, will soon reach capacity. The plan for Contrecoeur calls for a capacity to handle 1.15 million TEU annually, a nearly 60 percent increase in the container handling capacity in the Port of Montreal. 

The new terminal will include two berths as well as container handling and storage areas. The flow of goods will also be improved in Montreal with integrated connections to road and rail networks at Contrecoeur.

The construction plan for the new terminal uses a hybrid model, splitting responsibility for the water-side to the port and Canadian Coast Guard, while DP World will have responsibility for the land-side facilities. The goal is to start site preparation this year, once the final approvals are granted, and in-water work in 2026.  The timeline calls for commissioning the new terminal in 2030.

DP World notes that it will be its entry into the Port of Montreal. The company currently operates six port facilities in Canada, including in Vancouver, Prince Rupert, Fraser Surrey, Nanaimo, and Saint John.