Changes to Marine Transportation Services Operation Schedule

Press Release

May 9, 2024

Marine Transportation Services (MTS) is informing the public of changes to the operations schedule that will impact all communities north of Norman Wells.

All cargo destined for communities north of Norman Wells must now be directed to the Tuktoyaktuk Terminal instead of Hay River.  This includes the communities of Fort Good Hope, Aklavik, Kugluktuk, Sachs Harbour, Paulatuk and Ulukhaktok.

This operational change is due to extremely low water levels expected around the Rampart Rapids south of Fort Good Hope and is necessary to support the successful delivery of cargo to the communities listed above.

Effective May 9, 2024, customers shipping cargo that has a final destination of Tuktoyaktuk or Inuvik are asked to make their own arrangements this year. MTS is no longer accepting cargo at the Hay River terminal for those communities. Only cargo that is already at the Hay River terminal or that is currently in transit on its way there will be handled by MTS and sent to the Tuktoyaktuk Terminal on the customers’ behalf.

To accommodate the reception of cargo in Tuktoyaktuk, the Terminal will open three weeks earlier than usual, on July 2, 2024. Cargo will be accepted until August 1, 2024 so customers will have an additional six weeks to deliver their cargo to MTS. Customers are encouraged to get their cargo to Tuktoyaktuk in advance of the August 1 cut off to have it loaded on the barges to their communities.

It is important to note that the transportation of jet fuel and diesel, which are transported by tanker from a refinery in the state of Washington along the coast of British Columbia and around Alaska to Tuktoyaktuk, will remain unaffected by this change.

With record low water levels in the NWT, MTS is monitoring the situation and its potential impacts for Tulita, Norman Wells and Łutselk’e and will provide updates as they become available.

For updates on MTS sailing schedules, please visit https://www.inf.gov.nt.ca/en/MTS.

For media requests, please contact:

Infrastructure Communications
Department of Infrastructure
Government of the Northwest Territories
INF_Communications@gov.nt.ca

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