Port of Belledune
Deep-water industrial port in northern New Brunswick, Canada
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Port of Belledune is a deep-water cargo port on Chaleur Bay at Belledune in northern New Brunswick, Canada.
| Port of Belledune | |
|---|---|
Bulk carriers unloading at Terminal 2 | |
 Interactive map of Port of Belledune | |
| Location | |
| Country | Canada |
| Location | Belledune, New Brunswick, Canada |
| Coordinates | 47°54′42″N 65°50′30″W |
| UN/LOCODE | CABEL |
| Details | |
| Opened | 1968 |
| Operated by | Belledune Port Authority |
| Owned by | Government of Canada |
| Type of harbour | Deep-water seaport |
| No. of berths | Bulk, liquid bulk, Ro-Ro, and project cargo |
| No. of wharfs | 4 (Terminals 1–4) |
| Draft depth | Up to 14.3 m at chart datum (Terminal 2) |
| Statistics | |
| Annual cargo tonnage | 2,262,021 metric revenue tons (FY2023) |
| Website www | |
History
The port was established in 1968 to serve the Brunswick Mining and Smelting lead–zinc complex and the industrial base developing around the upper Chaleur Bay.[1] In the early 1990s, the adjacent Belledune Generating Station prompted construction of a deep-draft coal and petroleum coke berth (Terminal 2).[2] The Belledune Port Authority was created in 2000 under the Canada Marine Act.[3] The Brunswick smelter, later operated by Glencore, closed permanently in 2019.[4]
After the smelter shut down, the port shifted away from mineral concentrates toward a more diversified mix of dry, liquid, and break-bulk cargo. By the early 2020s it had become a major exporter of wood pellets and other biomass fuels to European power stations, alongside forest products, fertilizer, sulphuric acid, coal, petroleum coke, and aggregates.[5][6][7] The federal government has supported upgrades through the National Trade Corridors Fund, including a 2019 commitment of $17 million for expanded laydown and storage areas and related infrastructure on Terminals 3 and 4.[8][9] A separate $25 million conveyor and storage project announced in 2023 was intended to improve bulk-handling efficiency and lower emissions in partnership with terminal operator QSL.[10]
In 2020 the port authority began work on a long-range development plan for 2022–2052, setting out how Belledune could shift toward cleaner energy and new industrial uses.[11][12] As part of that strategy, the Belledune Port Authority and Cross River Infrastructure Partners proposed a hydrogen and green-ammonia production plant on port lands using up to 200 MW of firm power, with exports targeted for the late 2020s.[13][14][15] In 2025 the port signed a memorandum of understanding with the Port of Antwerp-Bruges to explore a transatlantic supply chain for hydrogen-based fuels and other low-carbon products.[16][17]
Facilities
The port consists of four terminals that operate year-round with on-dock storage, rail connections, and heavy-lift capability. The main facilities are outlined below.
| Terminal | Opened | Primary uses | Berth length | Depth (chart datum) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terminal 1 | 1968 | Mineral concentrates and sulphuric acid; other liquid bulk cargoes | 155 m | 11.0 m[18] |
| Terminal 2 | 1991 | Coal and petroleum coke for the Belledune Generating Station; liquid and dry bulk | 307 m | 14.3 m[2] |
| Terminal 3 (M.D. Young) | 1998 | Multi-purpose bulk and break-bulk including forest products such as wood pellets and wood chips, aggregates, fertilizer, and project cargo | 455 m | 11.3 m[19] |
| Terminal 4 (Rayburn Doucett) | 2010 | Ro-Ro, barge, and short-sea traffic; oversized project cargo | 184 m (Ro-Ro) | 8.9 m (Ro-Ro)[20] |