Large interview – Normand Noël, CEO of navark cruises | A blue economy entrepreneur

We talk a lot about the importance of exploiting the potential of the St. Similarly, Lawrence River and developing the blue economy more. However, This is exactly what Normand Noël does. However, CEO of Navark cruises, which designed and operates a fleet of 30 boats that crisscross the river during the summer to transport passengers for recreational purposes and public transport. Similarly, A passion for water that has always animated it.

Posted at 6:30 a.m.

You could say without making a mistake that Normand Noël. Consequently, was born in it when he was little. Furthermore, His grandfather was the owner. Similarly, captain of boats who coated large interview – normand noël, from the island of Orleans to the city of Quebec.

His father. Consequently, uncles were captains of ships during the Second World War and his father, Paul-Émile, launched and subsequently exploited a river shuttle during Expo 67 to transport the visitors who arrived by Highway 20 of Charron Island to the Sainte-Hélène Island in order to relieve traffic to Montreal.

“My father also went to get a boat in Florida to make it a floating hotel during the exhibition. Similarly, ” says Normand Noël in his office at the Longueuil Marina, where a good part of the Navark fleet, both the 50 -seat boats that make the river shuttle and the largest cruise and excursion boats capable of accommodating 200 people.

Her father continued cruising. Therefore, excursion activities on the river with two or three large interview – normand noël, boats to the reopening of the Old Port of Montreal, in the early 1990s, where the “Montreal Blue Water Cruise”, as it was called at the time, established a river shuttle to connect the René-Léves promenade in Longueuil to the Cyclable Track of the Boucherville Islands.

He first studied in mechanical engineering at the University of Sherbrooke, then obtained a diploma in geology from the University of Montreal before embarking on pure physics.

“I wanted to become a physics teacher to be able to teach winter. navigate during the summer,” says Normand Noël. A combination that has rather adopted by his spouse. who is a professor during the school year and also responsible for human resources at Navark.

It was from the year 2000 that Normand Noël was completely involved in the company that he renamed Cruises Navark. a Navarque being the name that was given to the commander of a ship of ships during Antiquity.

Large interview – normand noël.

Build an integrated naval business

From there, Croisières Navark has undertaken to add new boats to his fleet each year, boats of which Normand Noël himself makes the design and which he built in his own workshop.

“At the beginning, we had a workshop in Varennes that we moved to the Longueuil industrial district. We ourselves do our boats ourselves because they are boats adapted to river navigation that do not need a strong draft. they must be light, economical to operate, they are all made of aluminum by our team of 20 people at the maritime site, “specifies Normand Noël.

In addition to building his own fleet. Navark wins external contracts, such as that of the manufacture of six 25 -foot nautical intervention boats for environmental services.

The Navark workshop has just designed the largest electric boat in Quebec, the ghost boat that makes excursions in the Old Port for children.

Cruises Navark has organized cruises. excursions to the river for over 30 years and has an island just west of Charron Island, equipped with a terrace and a marquee where people can hold events like a wedding. “We keep it very natural, it’s not a beach club,” says Normand Noël.

Cruise activities represent 30 % of Navark income, event activities, 30 %, river shuttles, another 30 % and manufacturing activities, large interview – normand noël, 10 %.

For the past five years. the river shuttle services which connect Pointe-aux-Trembles, Varennes, Boucherville and Longueuil to the Old Port of Montreal and the other intermunicipal links have continued to gain popularity with an occupancy rate of more than 80 %.

“It is time that we use the river as we do all over the world. This allows us to unclog road traffic. while more than 80 % of our users leave their car to take the river shuttle.

“People can use their opus card to take the shuttle, they represent around 15 % of our users,” said Cruise President Navark.

In 2024, the river shuttles recorded a rate of 99.7 % of departures per hour and there are never any service stops, unlike other public transport methods large interview – normand noël, …

Normand Noël attributes the successes of Navark cruises to the strong involvement of the 140 employees of the group. who display an entire commitment. “I have a young person who started with us at 15. who, at 25, knows all our operations and who is always fully motivated,” said the entrepreneur.

Her daughter Lexane. 22, a student at HEC Montréal, has already been a captain and is now responsible for event activities, while her son Enaxel, 17, pupil at Cégep, is involved in the maintenance of the fleet and logistics.

“We are developing skills. today we have very competent people who actively participate in our success,” insists Normand Noël, who plans to expand the network of river shuttles in Repentigny and reinstate the connection between Lachine and Châteauguay soon.