Recent and current global tensions revealed just how vulnerable we are to transportation disruptions. Getting things from here to there involves a diverse collection of trucks, trains, planes and boats, working in collaboration with ports, airports, distribution centres and logistics coordinators.

The following celebrates key local players in the transportation and logistics industries.

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Stockford Reefer pulls out all the stops for superior service

After 26 years serving the trucking industry at “the Crossroads of Atlantic Canada”, Stockford Reefer Services Inc. could hardly be considered a startup. Still, for the family owned-and-operated company in Woodstock, New Brunswick – which strives daily to meet the evolving needs of its customers – entrepreneurial gusto is a standard operating principle.

Owners Matthew and Hilary Stockford guide the daily operations of SRS together. Says CEO Matthew Stockford: “A big focus for us is diversification within the industry. We are a family-run company and we always put our best foot forward. It’s really the best of both worlds: small business charm mixed with a high degree of professionalism.”

In fact, the trucking industry is part of the Stockford family’s DNA. Since the operation’s launch in 1997 (by Matthew’s dad, Arnold, and mum, Susan) SRS has supplied everything from transport refrigeration (reefer) repairs to trailer repairs, preventative maintenance programs and 24/7 on call service to companies and drivers from across Atlantic Canada and beyond. Today, they offer refrigerated trailer rentals, mobile truck on-site repairs and cross-docking services; secure parking; and trailer roof snow removal. They sell new and used transport refrigeration equipment along with no-idle heat and A/C options for trucks.

That kind of on-the-ground service competence is hard to come by in any industry. When it does in tightly knit Atlantic trucking circles, word gets around. “Offering a variety of equipment and services to our customers is what keeps us top of mind,” says Matthew. “We like to be diverse in our offerings while staying within the transportation industry … We had a customer, recently, who called from Nova Scotia. Unfortunately, they had an accident in NB and – though tow trucks were on the way – their refrigerated trailer wouldn’t run. So, we went there with a trailer to cross dock the load onto ours (on the side of the highway), check temperatures and make sure nothing was mishandled. Now, normally we don’t do accident recovery, but I tell people that if they need anything at all, and it’s in my area, they should call me. If we don’t do it, we probably know somebody who does.”

“A big focus for us is diversification within the industry. We are a family-run company and we always put our best foot forward. It’s really the best of both worlds: small business charm mixed with a high degree of professionalism.”

—Matthew Stockford

Stockford Reefer continues to expand its services to help trucking professionals when they need it most. Having relocated in 2016 – from its original location in Belleville, NB, to its current location off exit 191 in Woodstock – its state-of-the-art facility is designed to get customers back on the road as soon as possible.

“Diversified services that are properly backed up with the right experts and the right equipment 24 hours a day, seven days a week is what makes all the difference,” Matthew says. “A lot of our customers are not local to us, but they know who we are and what we will do for them. That’s a big part of our value. We compete on service and quality.”

Adds Hilary: “We treat our employees as family and our customers as friends. It’s not only a thought; it’s what we do.”

As for the future, Matthew says, “We’re finding new ways – new avenues – to grow, including our online parts store, which does a lot of export business. It’s important to stay current – we do warranty work for major manufacturers. For an independent shop like ours, that’s a big piece. That means staying up on technology and making sure our shop consistently produces quality work.”

Ultimately, says Hilary, the hometown touch goes a long way, and will continue at Stockford Reefer. “It’s all about trust – whether it’s the way we write our invoices or the way we communicate with our customers. At the end of the day, we pride ourselves on being a trusted partner in the industry.

 

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Envision Saint John positioning the region for new growth

Global events and climate change are reinforcing the need for secure supply chain infrastructure in Canada. And today, Envision Saint John: The Regional Growth Agency is positioning New Brunswick’s premier port region to expand its impact as both magnet and driver of economic development like never before.

Formally launched on January 1, 2021, Envision Saint John brought together the former Discover Saint John, Develop Saint John, and Economic Development Greater Saint John for a collaborative, regional model, attracting talent, business, investment, visitors, and residents.

“Simply put, Envision Saint John brings people and partners together to accelerate growth,” says Interim CEO Andrew Beckett. “We are working with several partners to seek ways to optimize local opportunities arising from the increase in activity at Port Saint John.” One of the major initiatives currently being explored is the development of a business case for a Logistics and Distribution Hub in the Saint John Region.

That potential is, indeed, enormous. As larger ports become more congested, international shippers are looking for alternatives – ports that have the capacity and capability to cost-effectively get their cargo to market. With more than $600 million in recent public and private investments, container capacity at Port Saint John is expected to increase from 150,000 TEUs to potentially 800,000 TEUs.

What’s more, Port Saint John is home to the only Canadian East Coast port offering competitive inland rail optionality with three class I rail lines, CSX, CN and CPKC and a major, adjacent highway system. This provides an expansive reach and connects Saint John with major population bases in Central Canada, the Eastern United States, and the Midwest.

This modernization and rail optionality – coupled with strong partnerships – positions the port as a leader on the Eastern seaboard, situated to meet the commercial needs of a rapidly evolving global marketplace. Of course, says Beckett, leveraging the port for the Saint John Region also starts with recognizing that “we are already one of the best places in North America to invest, live or visit.”

With a population of 135,622, the Saint John Region – comprised of the City of Saint John, Quispamsis, Rothesay, Grand Bay-Westfield, Hampton, Fundy-St. Martins, and the Fundy Rural District – hosts University of New Brunswick Saint John (UNBSJ)’s Integrated Health Initiative and an MBA in Business Development and Professional Sales, among other centres of academic and research excellence. It’s home to global headquarters, including Cooke Inc., Crosby’s Molasses, Irving Oil, J.D. Irving, and Moosehead Breweries, to name only a few.

Taken altogether – the amenities; the location as a natural logistics hub at the apex of world-class ocean, road, rail and air corridors; the seaport’s growing capacity – and suddenly the business case for a Logistics and Distribution Hub in the Saint John Region seems hard to beat.

“We also have land available here that could be developed to serve Canadian supply chains far and wide,” Beckett says. “That includes 650 acres under long-term lease from Transport Canada that the Saint John Airport plans to develop into an Industrial Park.”

Broadcasting that message and others like it loudly and clearly is part of the long-term strategy at Envision Saint John. “We help create successful strategies and a thriving ecosystem that attracts and sustains investment in the region,” Beckett says. “Right now, we are working with Port Saint John, the Saint John Airport, Opportunities New Brunswick, the City of Saint John as well as local businesses – bringing people and partners together.”

Ultimately, he says, “A Logistics and Distribution Hub in the Saint John Region will help to enhance the fluidity, security, and resiliency of Canadian supply chains and help supplement the ability for Port Saint John to drive long term growth.”

 

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Port of Belledune and QSL partnership drives change with innovation

Committed to their customers, communities, the environment, and continuous improvement, QSL and the Belledune Port Authority (BPA) are leveraging their long, productive partnership in Eastern Canada to drive sustainable change through innovation.

“BPA and QSL have a great history of combining forces to improve and expand Port and material handling infrastructure,” says Robert Bellisle, President and CEO of QSL.

Denis Caron, President and CEO, Belledune Port Authority, adds, “We are very fortunate to be working with a partner that shares our vision for sustainability in both operations and business development. We have grown together through nearly three decades of partnership, building innovation and growth into our operations to secure a greener and more prosperous future for the port, our clients and our local communities.”

In fact, the partners have always been pioneers. QSL – a leading marine services company with 64 terminals across North America, handling over 26 million tonnes of cargo annually – was the first Canadian maritime company to adhere to the United Nations Global Compact in 2021. Meanwhile, the BPA and its clients continue to go above and beyond the regulations to which they are subject, including those of the Canada Marine Act, Impact Assessment Act, Canadian Environmental Protection Act, Canadian Shipping Act (including marine pollution), and Fisheries Act.

What’s more, QSL and the BPA are certified Green Marine (QSL in 2015, the BPA in 2018), a voluntary program for port authorities, terminal operators, and shipping lines to surpass regulatory compliance and continually improve their environmental performance.

“We are very fortunate to be working with a partner that shares our vision for sustainability in both operations and business development.”

—Denis Caron

Right now, the BPA and QSL are working hand in glove to develop the green energy hub in Belledune – a specialized district on port lands welcoming low-carbon projects and industries – to its full potential. Since adopting a new Master Development Plan in 2022, the Port has advanced several promising energy projects on port lands dedicated to renewable energy projects and green manufacturing, including hydrogen production, wind, solar and battery. Thanks to new storage facilities and a terminal expansion – and recently combined with overseas markets growth – the Port has increased its biomass volume from 223,948 tonnes (wood pellets and wood chips) in 2018 to a projected 510,000 tonnes in 2024.

Supporting these initiatives are QSL’s engineering, IT and operational excellence teams, which maximize productivity, optimize logistics, improve work health and safety, facilitate communication, and protect the environment. Its TC3 software gives terminal supervisors and operators real-time access to all the data regarding their cargo. Its virtual terminal module enables an efficient management of the products stored through probability simulation, scenario forecasting and information sharing with all implicated agents, maritime personnel and clients prior to docking. Its telemetry contributes to providing a safer working environment.

In 2023, QSL and BPA announced a $25-million shared investment in a new bulk conveyor system, powered by electricity, that will enable more cargo to be moved quicker and more efficiently between terminals.

QSL and the BPA – along with private sector partners, community leaders and Indigenous communities – are committed to continuing their work together; to ensure a greener future for their clients, communities and employees. The benefits of these projects are shared, and the voices of the local population are heard to ensure success in the region. Together, these organizations are inspiring a transformation that creates a legacy that both can be proud of.

The BPA’s Caron says, “Our steadfast commitment towards the enhancement of Port capabilities has been instrumental to the sustained growth in the handling of renewable energy commodities as well as the diversification of cargoes via transloading operations.”

Indeed, says QSL’s Bellisle: “We boldly look forward to continued expansion and diversification of our cargo handling facilities for Northern New Brunswick.”

 

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Parsons & Sons Transportation focus on safety and reliable service

For Parsons & Sons Transportation of Conception Bay, NL, the old adage – the more things change, the more they stay the same – may be true. After 62 years in business, the company’s founding principles still resonate above all else.

“Safety and reliable service come first,” says president and CEO Scott Parsons. “It’s what the company was built on and what we try to achieve today.”

The family-run business has come a long way since 1962 when Richard H. Parsons Sr. of Seal Cove purchased three used school buses and put them into service for the newly opened Queen Elizabeth Regional High School.

By 1985, the fleet had grown to 22 buses serving multiple schools in the surrounding area. Richard then joined with his sons to usher in a new era of the company by incorporating Parsons and Sons. “We expanded our charter services by purchasing our first motorcoach in 1990,” Scott says. “This motorcoach remained in service until 1996, when it was replaced by our first MCI motorcoach. That same year, Parsons & Sons also bought its first Champion minicoach.

Today, under Scott’s watchful eye, the company maintains about 60 buses split into two divisions (school and motorcoach). “Our fleet of motorcoaches includes vehicles built by MCI, Freightliner, Grech and Prevost,” he says. “Our passenger coaches are fully loaded with plush or leather reclining seats, 3-point seat belts, and overhead, rear, or undercarriage storage.”

What’s more, he says, “All bus drivers at Parsons go through a rigorous in-house training regimen, online school board training. Each have valid St. John Ambulance First Aid (including Epi-pen) training.”

He adds: “Our fleet of motorcoaches and school buses are available for charter to school groups, sports teams, social groups, churches and anyone needing economical transportation solutions. We are currently expanding with a new Motorcoach garage being built in 2024, which would give each division its own stand-alone garage.”

 

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Oceanex leads the way in transport reliability and innovation

There’s a reason why Oceanex – providing safe, efficient, and reliable intermodal freight transportation services to Eastern Canadians for more than 100 years – controls the largest marine terminal in Newfoundland and handles almost 50 per cent of the island’s freight.

Says Vice-President of Sales and Marketing, Deron O’Reilley: “It boils down to our core values of safety, customer satisfaction, open communication, employee satisfaction, and continuous improvement.” That translates into rock-solid consistency, reliability, and key partnerships. Its over 97 per cent on-time delivery performance is a matter of record. So are its deep working relationships with major retailers, wholesalers, pharmacies, hospitals, builders, grocers, distributors, and shippers of food, medicine, medical equipment, automobiles, and more.

Its team of more than 1,000 transportation specialists (including contractors) – operating a fleet of three ice-class Container/Ro-Ro vessels and several thousand containers, trucks, and trailers – ensures that St. John’s-based Oceanex offers seamless, door-to-door, year-round, transportation services between anywhere in North America and Newfoundland via Montreal and Halifax.

What’s more, O’Reilley says, “Our investment in ‘going green’ has been significant recently, in particular with the transition to low sulphur fuel for our vessels. We’ve also just announced our partnership with the Montreal Port Authority and Quebec Stevedoring Limited to develop the first domestic ‘green shipping corridor’ between Quebec and Newfoundland.”

Utilization of Oceanex services already reduces the emissions for freight transportation to Newfoundland by over 80 per cent compared to alternate routes primarily using road transport. With this partnership – which aims to cut 87,000 tonnes of GHG emissions a year by using alternative fuels and direct electrification technologies – Oceanex is going above and beyond to secure its position at the forefront of transport innovation.

Says O’Reilley: “We are looking ahead and actually putting real plans and technologies in place to be a sustainable part of a new economy … environmental leadership has been, and continues to be, at the top of our agenda.”

 

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Port of Argentia embracing a future of opportunity

As Port of Argentia’s CEO Scott Penney likes to say, “We’re leveraging our tremendous land and quayside infrastructure strengths to diversify into renewable energy, minerals, transportation, aquaculture, and oil and gas.”

Over the past number of years, Port of Argentia’s marine terminal – featuring a 40-hectare, secure compound adjacent to 430 meters of docking facilities – has positioned itself to play a critical role in major industrial and economic opportunities. Now, it is advancing plans for a $100 million dock expansion at Cooper Cove which will double quayside capacity at Argentia and feature the latest innovations in port electrification and decarbonization.

“Cooper Cove Marine Terminal Expansion Project will support the Port’s growth in marine traffic and position Argentia well to capture opportunities in traditional sectors, as well as the emerging ocean economy and renewable energy sectors,” Penney says.

Speaking of renewables, a 50:50 joint venture between the Port and investment firm Torrent Capital Inc. will enable the Port to also take a significant equity position in Pattern Energy’s upcoming Argentia Renewables Project, a planned wind energy to green fuels project at Argentia. Furthermore, Argentia has established North America’s first monopile marshalling port in support of US offshore wind projects.

The Port continues to feature regular vessel service by Eimskip to and from European, Canadian and US markets, and TMSI provides domestic container cargo service to and from St. Pierre and Halifax. Meanwhile, the Port receives a variety of other vessel calls with various bulk cargos supporting the local supply chain in key sectors, such as oil and gas, mining, renewables and aquaculture.

Says Penney: “We’re moving towards the future by expanding what we’ve always done best – building the capacity to support exciting new industries and commercial opportunities.”

 

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Whether St. John’s or Argentia, A. Harvey is strategically positioned for growth

For St. John’s-based A. Harvey & Company – which has been in the marine logistics and supply business since 1865 – it’s all about location, location. “We operate in both the Port of St. John’s and the Port of Argentia, serving the major players in each place,” says Vice-President of Operations Geoff Cunningham.

That competitive capability isn’t just happenstance. It’s the result of deliberate strategy. Deftly combining stevedoring, trucking, warehousing, logistics planning, freight forwarding, ships agency, customs brokerage services, for total customer satisfaction, A. Harvey continually positions itself for diversification and growth.

Since the late 1960s, the company has resupplied every oil and gas installation in the offshore from its St. John’s marine base. That currently includes ExxonMobil, Suncor, Cenovus and Equinor. Even with that “we have plenty of capacity for growth,” Cunningham says.

In fact, those facilities – the most modern in eastern Canada – offer five vessel berths, a 500-square-metre warehouse/maintenance shop, and 12 acres of laydown area quayside. A. Harvey has two modern Mobile Cranes with a lifting capacity up to 83 tonnes.

In Argentia, A. Harvey is equipped with a 140-tonne Harbour Crane and material handling equipment and provides stevedoring, warehousing, cold storage, laydown, and cargo transfer operations. It regularly handles fish products, containers, structural steel, pipes and casings, and bulk products. With 28,000 square feet of freezer storage and 59,000 square feet of warehouse space, it has become a key provider for major companies like Eimskip, Clearwater, Ocean Choice International, Cenovus and storage in support of Vale’s Long Harbour Processing Plant.

Beyond this, Cunningham says, “There are even opportunities for us within the mining sector in the province, because Argentia is a great port for marshalling production bulks and chemicals. The big picture is that our location and strategic positioning will continue to serve us well at both ports. Those who deal with us in one location, St. John’s, know they can deal with us in Argentia.”

 

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Marine Atlantic: Your seamless logistical partner

Marine Atlantic has been a logistical leader integral to the way of life in our communities across Newfoundland and Labrador for more than 120 years. As an essential service, we move people and goods to and from the island of Newfoundland daily. It’s why we’re a trusted partner, ensuring your shipment arrives securely and on time.

On any given day, our reliable service moves commercial goods – from fresh seafood to propane and medical oxygen – seamlessly on and off the island, keeping the wheels of business and commerce turning. Operating 24/7/365, the commercial trucking industry accounts for more than 70 per cent of our business.

We focus on providing crucial logistical information to all of our customers, giving you the tools you need to make the right business decisions at the right time. Our technology advances are specifically designed to make it easy for you, including up-to-the-minute news and information.

Timely shipping intelligence is only a click away, including: arrival and departure information; sailing details and alerts; the real-time status of commercial traffic at any of our terminals; and safety and security protocols.

Are you looking to transport goods and cargo classified as dangerous by federal regulations? Our online portal makes it easy to understand regulations and has information on designated weekly sailings for transporting dangerous goods safely.

For bulky cargo that needs to arrive on time and in one piece, we have reservations for overwide and over-long units available at no additional cost.

Commercial crossings are accommodated on a first-come, first-served basis, but if you need to ensure that your goods arrive at a specific time, we offer a limited number of premium booking spaces, subject to additional fees, terms and conditions.

Whether your stock in trade is seafood, freight, or live-stock, Marine Atlantic is your seamless transportation and logistical partner. To see how we meet your commercial needs, visit us at marineatlantic.ca/commercial-services/commercial-traffic.