Americold has announced plans to develop its first Import-Export Hub in Canada at Port Saint John in New Brunswick. This facility will be the first of its kind globally to bring together the Atlanta, Georgia, USA-headquartered international refrigerated warehouse operator’s customers with the maritime logistics capabilities of DP World and the rail logistics services of Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC).
“Developing a state-of-the-art facility in Port Saint John marks an exciting step forward for us as the company expands into a strategically compelling geography serving high-volume international routes, providing unparalleled opportunities for integration with our premier partners in DP World and CPKC,” said George Chappelle, chief executive officer at Americold. “Port Saint John has been the beneficiary of significant investments in recent years from both DP World and CPKC, and the infrastructure they have built has attracted major global shipping lines to this location. We are confident the opportunity for Americold to bring world class cold storage and value-added services to the port – and to enhance food flows primarily between Central and Eastern Canada and Europe, South America and the APAC region – represents an attractive path to long-term value creation for both our customers and our shareholders.”
“We are excited to build on our successful strategic collaboration with Americold and DP World with this new facility in Port Saint John as we build a unique North American cold chain.” said Keith Creel, CPKC president and chief executive officer. “Our growing collaboration with Americold, which started in Kansas City and is developing in both Canada and Mexico, continues to bring new supply chain solutions to the market for our customers shipping a range of food and other products across Canada, the United States and Mexico using CPKC’s fleet of refrigerated containers. Our strategic purchase of the Central, Maine & Quebec Railway and our operational success working with JD Irving’s NBM Railways has extended our reach to Port Saint John and put another value-creating destination on the CPKC map.”
DP World Canada CEO Doug Smith added: “Our partnership with Americold and CPKC to develop an innovative cold chain Import + Export Hub at Port Saint John reflects our shared commitment to transforming supply chain efficiency and sustainability. This investment by Americold represents a significant milestone in our joint mission to create seamless, end-to-end logistics solutions that meet the evolving needs of global trade. By leveraging the strengths of our strategic partners, we are enhancing the cold chain infrastructure in Central and Eastern Canada, enabling faster, more reliable, and sustainable connections for food supply chains worldwide.”
Craig Bell Estabrooks, president and chief executive officer of Port Saint John, commented: “Our extensive infrastructure investments over the past decade have paved the way for leading global partners to thrive in Saint John. We’re thrilled to welcome Americold and further opportunities to create jobs on our waterfront.”
Americold to Invest Up to $80 Million in Project
Americold aims to invest between $75 million and $80 million to develop this conventional import-export hub that will provide approximately 22,000 pallet positions in Port Saint John. The facility will connect Americold with two of its key strategic partners, DP World and CPKC, in one location to provide a more optimized cold chain for food moving between Canada and its global trading partners.
Opportunities NB will invest up to $1.01 million in the form of a payroll rebate to assist Americold with the creation of as many as 100 jobs by the end of 2029. This expansion is expected to contribute up to $37 million in direct provincial GDP.
“Americold’s expansion in New Brunswick enhances the Port’s capacity to accommodate growing shipping volumes and strengthens its position as Atlantic Canada’s largest port by volume and one of the fastest-growing container ports on the East Coast of North America,” said Luke Randall, minister responsible for Opportunities NB. “The Americold investment will also improve market access for New Brunswick’s exporting companies and create good paying jobs.”
More About Americold
Focused on the ownership, operation, acquisition, and development of temperature-controlled warehouses, Americold owns and/or operates 239 temperature-controlled warehouses, with approximately 1.5 billion refrigerated cubic feet of storage, in North and South America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. Its facilities are an integral component of the supply chain connecting food producers, processors, distributors and retailers to consumers.
About CPKC
With its global headquarters in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, CPKC is the first and only single-line transnational railway linking Canada, the United States and México, with access to major ports from Vancouver to Atlantic Canada to the Gulf Coast of the United States to Lázaro Cárdenas, México. Stretching approximately 20,000 route miles and employing 20,000 railroaders, the company provides North American customers unparalleled rail service and network reach to key markets across the continent.
About DP World
Operating across six continents with a workforce of over 100,000 employees, DP World combines global infrastructure and local expertise to deliver seamless supply chain solutions. In the Americas it operates with a team of over 16,000 people across 12 countries, driving excellence through a robust network of 14 ports and terminals and more than 40 warehouses.
