Port of Montreal - Timeline

Timeline

Starting from the first authority:

• 1830: The first Harbour Commission is created and builds the first permanent wharves and pushes the government to dredge the river.
• 1830-1832: 1,142 metres (3,747 ft) of permanent wharves, retaining walls and ramps are constructed.
• 1840: The first Gold-Headed cane.
• 1851: The first major port and river dredging project begins.
• 1854: The navigation channel between Quebec City and Montreal is deepened.
• 1872: Archives for May 28 note that "there were 70 vessels - 21 of them ocean-going steamships — docked at different berths, representing a total of 53,769 tonnes (59,270 short tons; 52,920 long tons)."
• 1883: Channel is dredged to a minimum of 7.5 metres (25 ft).
• 1902: Start of construction on the modern grain elevators in the port.
• 1908: First permanent transit sheds constructed.
• 1910: Dredging work on the channel to a depth of 10.7 metres (35 ft) begins.
• 1936: The National Harbours Board is created by the federal government.
• 1947: For seven and a half months in the year, more than 25 major steamship lines serve the port.
• 1962: The use of icebreakers to keep the channel between Montreal and Quebec City open during winter is designated by the federal government.
• 1967: The first container is handled.
• 1968: The first Canadian container terminal is inaugurated in Montreal.
• 1972: Construction begins on the Cast container terminal.
• 1977: The millionth TEU container is handled by the port.
• 1978: The Port of Montreal builds the Racine container terminal, expanding its operations in Montreal's east-end.
• 1983: The Montreal Port Corporation is established.
• 1987: The Maisonnneuve (Termont) Container Terminal is opened.
• 1992: Minimum channel depth is enlarged to 11 metres (36 ft).
• 1996: Montreal christens three brand-new vessels, capable of holding 2,300 TEU containers each.
• 1998: Marine Carriers delivery of the three ships capable of transporting 2,800 TEU containers or the equivalent.
• 1999: Under the Canada Marine Act, the Montreal Port Corporation is transformed into the more autonomous Montreal Port Authority.
• 2000: The Port of Montreal handles more than 1 million TEU containers a year for the first time in its history.