September 11th, 2025 – DP World plans to develop and operate a C$1.6 billion container terminal outside Montreal, following the port authority’s first step in securing a development permit for the facility, which will be capable of handling post-Panamax vessels.
The global terminal operator has signed an agreement with the Montreal Port Authority (MPA) to design Contrecoeur’s surface work, a process set to be finalized in the coming weeks before shifting focus to long-term operational planning. DP World, which already runs the Centerm facility at the Port of Vancouver as well as terminals at Prince Rupert and Saint John, sees this project as a pivotal step in shaping the Port of Montreal’s future and strengthening Canada’s role as a global trade gateway.
The Contrecoeur terminal will be built on land the MPA purchased more than three decades ago and is expected to have an annual throughput capacity of 1.15 million TEUs. Its location further up the St. Lawrence River will allow it to accommodate ships larger than the 8,000-TEU vessels that currently call at Montreal. Today, the workhorse vessels serving Montreal’s four existing container terminals, operated by Montreal Gateway Terminals Partnership and Termont Montreal, typically range between 4,000 and 5,000 TEUs. The port authority is collaborating with federal agencies and river pilots to begin trial runs for navigating larger ships along the river.
The MPA recently submitted a permitting application to Canada’s federal waterway agency for below-surface work on the Contrecoeur marine terminal and expects approval in the coming weeks. DP World has outlined a timeline that begins with underwater work starting in 2026, surface construction launching in 2027, and terminal operations beginning by 2030.
To secure the application, 10 studies were conducted over two years assessing the project’s impact on local fish habitats. In response, the MPA has committed to extensive underwater and above-ground plantings and other remediation measures to minimize environmental impacts.
Although planning for the Contrecoeur project began in the 1980s, it faced setbacks as recently as 2023 when several terminal operators withdrew from bidding due to the cost of the required underwater work. Originally budgeted at C$1 billion, the project is now expected to cost C$1.5 billion. Since then, federal and provincial governments have stepped in with additional funding, reflecting Canada’s push to reduce its reliance on trade with the United States. During a recent visit to Montreal, Prime Minister Mark Carney emphasized that the project could benefit from newly enacted legislation designed to streamline environmental reviews and accelerate infrastructure projects deemed nationally significant.
