The Port of Churchill Partners with Fednav to Examine Operational Needs for Year-Round Shipping

Author of the article:You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.Work will inform future business planning, with expert advice from a shipping company actively operating ice-class vessels in the Canadian ArcticSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.WINNIPEG, Manitoba, Feb. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Arctic Gateway Group (AGG) has partnered with Canadian shipping company Fednav to examine the operational requirements that would be necessary to support year-round shipping from the Port of Churchill. The work for this review is underway and is expected to be completed this summer.Fednav’s work with AGG will focus on understanding the practical operational considerations of navigating ice-covered waters in Hudson Bay. This work is intended to inform Arctic Gateway’s long-term business planning, and does not pre-empt environmental assessments, regulatory processes, or Indigenous decision-making. The work will examine known ice conditions, patterns, extended shipping seasons, and the efforts and investments required.Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againInterested in more newsletters? Browse here.Any future consideration of year-round shipping or icebreaking would require extensive engagement with Indigenous partners, northern communities, governments, and environmental stakeholders.“As we continue to grow AGG’s business at the Port of Churchill, we need to understand what would be required to support year-round shipping from an operational standpoint,” said Chris Avery, President & CEO, Arctic Gateway Group. “This is about business planning, and it’s one piece of a broader set of work being advanced in Hudson Bay. We’re doing this with full recognition that all future paths involve extensive consultation, regulatory review, and alignment with Indigenous partners, communities, governments, and industry.”The expansion of trade corridors and investments in Western Hudson Bay is currently the subject of extensive, multi-party research and planning. This includes work led by the Arctic Research Foundation in collaboration with provincial and federal partners examining shipping routes, environmental considerations, marine conservation, and governance, as well as a feasibility initiative exploring a potential national marine conservation area led by Parks Canada.AGG’s work with Fednav is complementary to these broader initiatives. It is focused on understanding what the Port of Churchill would require from an operational perspective, informed by a commercial shipping company that is actively involved in year-round operations in the Canadian Arctic. An executive summary will also be available to research organizations and government partners to help inform the wider body of work underway in Hudson Bay.“Supporting shipping in this region requires a clear understanding of ice conditions and patterns to identify operational capabilities,” said Isabelle Brassard, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Fednav. “This work applies Fednav’s Arctic experience to help identify what would be required to safely support year-round shipping from the Port of Churchill.”Fednav will draw on decades of Arctic operating experience, including Arctic-certified captains and in-house ice specialists, to assess historical ice conditions, navigation constraints, and operational requirements specific to Hudson Bay and the marine approaches to Churchill.Arctic Gateway Group remains committed to transparency and ongoing dialogue and will continue to engage with Indigenous partners, northern communities and businesses, governments, and organizations involved in Hudson Bay research and conservation.About Arctic Gateway GroupThe Arctic Gateway Group is a proudly Indigenous- and community-owned Manitoba company that owns and operates the Port of Churchill, Canada’s only Arctic seaport serviced by rail, as well as the Hudson Bay Railway, operating from The Pas to Churchill. Together this northern infrastructure forms the nexus of Canada’s Arctic Trade Corridor, providing a reliable and efficient route for Canadian resources to access world markets.About FednavFednav is Canada’s largest international dry bulk shipping company. Headquartered in Montreal, it operates a fleet of about 130 vessels—half of which are owned—and delivers over 30 million tonnes of cargo annually. With global offices and deep expertise in Arctic and Great Lakes navigation, Fednav is recognized for its commitment to safety, innovation, and sustainability.A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/55b1a544-9f63-4b8b-ae61-d885115e7885Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. 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