J.P. Forestry has began loading timber cut from the early phases of the Muskrat Falls project on a ship bound for Asia, despite supply chain issues, community concerns, and a cargo ship that was too large to dock in Goose Bay.
J.P. Forestry CEO Greg Penney expressed excitement that the firm now had a ship in town for the timber.
“I’m just so thrilled to see that ship, and this is just the first of many, many more to come,” said Penney, who added that the firm has had a lot of interest in the wood from overseas.
“We have a large corporation in England that is really interested in purchasing some of our fibre. So, throughout the winter, we will identify the greatest prospects for us, and we will charter some ships for early June.”
Penney is hoping that shipping charges, which he claims have doubled, will fall.
Trucks transport timber from the construction site to the dock 24 hours a day, and the crew loads the ship 16 hours a day. Penney said initial concerns about the location of the Wilburn Bay project are over and he expects the loading to be completed on Saturday.
This is not the only project that J.P. Forestry has planned for the Labrador region. They have wood-cutting licences in the region, in addition to selling the wood cut for the Muskrat Falls project. Penney says it is Phase 1 of the company’s intentions in Labrador, but he did not elaborate on what comes next.
“We’re looking forward to a variety of different periods. Some of it is still speculative, but we are clearly going forward. As events unfold, we’ll undoubtedly be able to talk a bit more about it “He stated.
“Let’s just say we have a lot of ideas for Goose Bay and the surrounding region, as well as a lot of job prospects for Innu and locals. There will undoubtedly be a lot of construction coming up here in the next several years.”
Get Canada and Newfoundland’s top News, Market news, and other worldwide news only on https://nlgazette.com
