Spotlight On: Northern Transportation Company Limited

Northern Transportation Company Limited (NTCL) is 100 percent owned by NorTerra Inc. NorTerra Inc., in turn, is a 100 percent Inuit-owned company, whereby ownership is equaled by the Inuvialuit Development Corporation of the Western Arctic and Nunasi Corporation, representing the Inuit of Nunavut.
NTCL is the founding member of the NorTerra Inc. group of companies and includes in its esteemed portfolio: Braden Burry Expediting, Canadian North Airlines, Northern Industrial Sales and Weldco-Beales Manufacturing Inc.

NTCL’s head office is located in Edmonton, Alberta, and the principal marine facilities are located in Hay River, Northwest Territories. Regional terminals are located in Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk, and there is a small loading facility at Norman Wells. NTCL also has an office located in St. John’s, Newfoundland, to service the offshore oil industry.
The St. John’s office is the regional base of operations and administration for the Eastern Arctic and Eastern Canada. NTCL’s two “Arctic Class II supply, seismic support, anchor handling, and ice management” vessels are based in St. John’s.

NTCL is the largest tug and barge transportation provider in the Canadian Arctic and is heavily involved with cargo transport for the oil and gas and mining industries. NTCL is equipped with a fleet of Arctic Class II ice-breaking tugs, shallow draft home trade tugs, and a large fleet of dry cargo and dual purpose and fuel-carrying barges.
Established since 1934 to transport goods through the waterways of Alberta, the company delivers to 22 northern communities from a shipyard terminal in Hay River, North West Territories. Today, NTCL has expanded across the nation and now supports Eastern Canada with offshore coastal vessel solutions.

NTCL President Bill Duffy says, “From 1934 working in the waterways of Alberta to today in the Western Arctic and along the Mackenzie River and now into Eastern Canada, our roots show who we are and who we serve. Our relationship with the communities we reach each season strengthens both our heritage and our responsibilities to our customers. This year we mark our 80th sealift season. It’s a proud time for us as we reflect back on the progress of the North and the promise of the future. NTCL is more committed than ever to relationship building and helping the companies and people of the North succeed in all they do. Providing innovative, efficient transportation alternatives and great customer service are the hallmarks of our capabilities today and will remain so for the future. The last three quarters of a century taught us a lot. Building on what we have learned, we will continue to offer the best service possible.”