Commercial and operational development

In 2024, there were several significant advances in how the Montreal Port Authority and its partners worked together. Greater collaboration in the Saguenay–St. Lawrence corridor shows the shared commitment to pooling resources and developing joint projects to improve shipping fluidity and resilience. On the international front, an action plan with the Vietnam Maritime Administration (Vinamarine) strengthened trade ties with Asia, specifically in the areas of energy transition, green corridors and digital innovation.

As part of the National Summit on Combatting Auto Theft, the MPA announced the launch of a program to support the rollout of technological solutions to prevent the fraudulent export of stolen vehicles through the Port of Montreal. Through this initiative, the MPA makes its expertise and technical support available to companies by providing tracking systems approved by the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC). The companies benefit from strategic support to identify optimal locations, install antennae to facilitate autonomous use of their technology, and maintain their equipment right on Port territory. By carrying out this initiative, the MPA reasserts its key role in securing port operations and preventing illegal vehicle exports.

In development since 2020, ARGO software was officially deployed in 2024, marking a breakthrough in port logistics optimization through artificial intelligence. This innovative tool improves operational planning and helps reduce transit times for containerized freight in the supply chain. Specifically, ARGO optimizes train management by factoring in multiple variables, such as the variability of ship arrivals and rail car deliveries. This approach results in a better balance of import and export rail services, while also bolstering the overall efficiency of port operations.

Since its implementation, the software has significantly improved the accuracy of predicted vessel and train arrivals, from 80% to over 95% over a 10-day horizon, through collaborative work with Transport Canada. ARGO aims to extend operational readiness from the current 72 hours to 10 days in advance, providing a strategic advantage for managing rail and port movements. ARGO is the result of a collaboration between the MPA, CN, CP, MGTP, Termont, Ivado Labs, Thales and Scale AI.