Iqaluit sealift likely as big as last year's
Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services
IQALUIT (Jun 21/99) - A boatload of sealifts will be pulling into Nunavut's capital again this summer, carrying everything from canned peas to a new town sewage truck.
Most of the vessels coming North are contracted by the Canadian Coast Guard's Eastern Arctic sea lift operation.
The Coast Guard has contracted seven deliveries through Nunavut Ocean Transport, said John Perry, traffic manager for the eastern arctic sea lift.
A total of six Nunavut Eastern Arctic Shipping vessels will be stopping in town this summer, said NEAS marketing and sales co-ordinator John Lepine. Transport Desgagnes, a Montreal shipping company, will be sending up two stocked with freight for the new co-op. Another one or two loaded with building materials will come up via NTCL.
"I can see it coming up to 7,000 tonnes at the rate we're going now," said Perry of the Coast Guard's share of the sea lift.
Last year was about the same, he said. In the years before that, the average was about 4,000 tonnes.
Last week in Montreal, NEAS commenced loading of the first of its vessels bound for Iqaluit.
"We commenced loading today," said Lepine. "If everything goes well, we intend to sail on the 24th or the 25th. Our target date for arrival, depending on ice conditions, is July 2."
He said NEAS will be shipping up a lot of construction material, supplies for the Northern Store, plus orders made by other businesses and individuals.
"Last year was a good year," said Lepine. "This year will be probably be about the same. There's a little more cargo for NCC."
The first Coast Guard sea lift is also scheduled to arrive July 2. If everything goes according to plan, Iqaluit's waterfront will be very busy that week.
This year there are a larger than usual number of people in Iqaluit awaiting delivery of 19-20 foot boats.
"We've got six or seven already," said Perry. "Normally we might only have one or two."
The coast guard ice breaker that will herald the start of the sea lift season is scheduled to arrive June 30, said a Coast Guard official.
