The Port of Argentia with Visionary Harvey Brenton

Harvey Brenton is the CEO of the Argentia Management Authority (AMA). The people who know him professionally understand that he has a great tenacity for expansion and an eye for possibility. Like most visionaries he understands that envisioning the future and creating back from there, is the key to success.

“The Atlantic Provincial Economic Council reports regional projects, within the next 10 years, estimating $73 billion, in various stages of development for Atlantic Canada. We are strategically positioned to capitalize on a significant portion of the work that’s developing. The Port of Argentia is an ice-free, deep water port, 2,000-foot docking facility with a heavy lift capacity, international shipping port, 110-acre industrial park along with a 10-acre technology park. Port of Argentia offers international shipping and an ice-free port year round, and can handle some of the largest vessels in the world,” states Harvey.

The visions of the AMA team are quickly becoming reality. Over 30 businesses operate at Port of Argentia, offering a range of solutions from industrial manufacturing, warehousing, laydown, stevedoring and crane services. Specific to oil and gas opportunities, Harvey states, “In 2011, the Port was approached by Husky Energy as the preferred site for construction of an offshore concrete gravity structure (CGS) to support the White Rose Extension Project. These talks concluded with a signed lease in 2012 and the completion at Argentia of a graving dock designed to support the CGS construction. While the CGS project is now on hold due to low oil prices, the project could be restarted within the next year. Graving dock gates are being considered for this project to enable reuse of the facility. These gates would be a strong indication that Husky sees opportunities for further construction, maintenance and refit work on site in the future.”

“There have been companies considering Argentia for fabrication of subsea elements known in the industry as SURF (subsea umbilicals, risers, and flow lines), marine base, spool pipe facility, marine gas oil (MGO) supply terminal, offshore pipe laydown, aggregate supply, home porting of vessels, rebar, inspection, repair & maintenance (IRM) and other offshore related opportunities are currently being entertained by the Port. With two of the province’s largest metal fabricators on site and Argentia’s heavy lift caisson dock available to them at Berth 3, the offshore industry offers the promise of incremental benefits for these and other support service providers on site as well. Argentia’s cement supply depot operator is well positioned to take advantage of the incremental demand for cement that regularly accompanies these offshore projects, thus creating greater marine traffic, wharfage, and jobs on site,” says Harvey on the indications of expressed interest in the Port of Argentia.

Over the past 20 years, Argentia has grown to be a significant heavy industrial seaport. Today, Port of Argentia owns and operates: Southside Industrial Park, an already fully developed, (and ready for immediate occupancy) 110 acres of property comprising of 41 lots; Northside Industrial Park, which has approximately 400 hectares (1,000 acres) of relatively flat “built” land and is a prime location for heavy industrial projects; and Argentia Sunset Park, a recreational vehicle (RV) and travel trailer park, which was officially opened on June 1, 2007. Argentia Technology Park offers 10 acres of prime real estate with access to supplies and services, communications infrastructure, and established transportation networks. The Port’s newest business tenant is now preparing to construct an ultra-secure data storage center in the Technology Park with re-purposed fortified storage bunkers.

Port of Argentia is continuing to work with proponents of a 25 megawatt wind project for the Argentia Backlands, as well as a variety of other prospective businesses seeking to utilize the facility for bulk cargos and additional freight, gas oil supply and other opportunities.

As Argentia’s list of tenants and port users has grown, it has resulted in an additional capital investment, jobs and other beneficial economic development outcomes. A huge thanks to Harvey Brenton, the CEO overseeing operations with a visionary eye.