THE PORT OF QUÉBEC WELCOMES THE SEVENTH ANNUAL RENDEZ-VOUS NAVAL DE QUÉBEC

Québec City, July 22, 2026 — From July 23 to 26, the wharves of the Port of Québec will come alive during the seventh Rendez-vous naval festival. People from near and far will have the chance to meet crews aboard nine impressive ships and learn about the naval world through family-friendly activities and events. More than 100,000 visitors are expected for this year’s event, which will feature unparalleled access to Canadian Coast Guard facilities and the return of international tall ships to Québec City for the first time since 2017.

Tall ships from Italy, Chile, France, Colombia, and Peru will join vessels from the Royal Canadian Navy, the U.S. Navy, and the Canadian Coast Guard, giving the public a rare chance to see ships from around the world up close.

Beyond the ship tours, the Rendez-vous naval will offer an exciting program of entertainment, family activities, crew meet-and-greets, and initiatives to promote naval careers and the richness of our maritime heritage.

Naturally, accommodating such an impressive fleet poses a major logistical challenge. The ships will occupy more than a kilometre of wharves, and nearly 100,000 visitors are expected to attend over the three-day event. This all needs to fit within the Port’s regular operations, including calls by the Holland America Line’s Volendam—which will be stopping at Wharf 30 in Québec City not once, but twice that weekend—and its regular commercial activities. The Port’s ability to coordinate all of those moving parts is a testament to its skill in orchestrating events and tourism, cultural, and commercial activities on its wharves.

The Port is a lively summer gathering place, with plenty of cultural and recreational activities to enjoy in addition to the Rendez-vous naval. Visitors can enjoy dockside programming, cool off at La Cale, go for a dip at the Oasis, or take in shows (like Boogie Wonder Band’s 30th anniversary Disco Honey tour and Kaleo’s Way Down We Go tour) at the Agora.

The Port of Québec is strategically located 1100 km from the Atlantic Ocean, close to the Great Lakes market. It is the last deepwater port in the St. Lawrence corridor, with a depth of 15 metres. This unique position allows Canadian companies to achieve significant economies of scale in both import and export trade.

With links to more than 40 partner countries, the Port of Québec and its employees handle an average of over 26 million tonnes of goods every year, representing a commercial value of over $15 billion.

The Port is also recognized as the leading cruise port on the St. Lawrence; along with all its partners in Québec’s maritime industry, it contributes to $2 billion in economic spin-offs while supporting some 12,000 jobs nationwide.

The Québec Port Authority (QPA) is ranked 4^th out of the 17 Canadian port authorities in terms of revenue. While it is economically powerful, it is also known for its contributions to the area’s urban and social fabric thanks to port spaces like the Agora, the Baie de Beauport, the Oasis, La Cale, the Discoglace, and the Village Nordik.

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Frédéric Lagacé

Director, Public Relations and Communications

418-929-5031 | [email protected]