Irving Pulp & Paper has reached a new milestone in Project NextGen, with the first barge carrying major components for the initiative successfully navigating Saint John’s Reversing Falls en route to the company’s westside mill. The shipment marks an important step in the US$1.5 billion project, which includes the construction of a new recovery boiler to replace the mill’s existing unit, installed in the 1970s. The new equipment is expected to increase production by approximately 66 per cent while expanding the mill’s green energy capacity. The barge’s passage through the Reversing Falls required the coordination of marine crews, equipment operators and teams responsible for planning and logistics. The operation was carried out as part of the delivery of the large-scale components required for the project. According to Irving Pulp & Paper, Project NextGen represents the largest investment in the Canadian forest products industry since 1993.