Container traffic at container port of Prince Rupert, launched 3 years ago, increased to 343,366 TEUs in 2010, a 29.5-percent gain over 2009, the PR Port Authority said, adding a similar figure is expected in 2011, Journal of Commerce reported.
Coal in bulk led the port's overall cargo-handling to a record 16,424,512 metric tons in 2010, the Prince Rupert Port Authority reported.
The container part of the port, which has completed three full years of operation, is "operating at about 50 per cent of capacity right now,” Shaun Stevenson, vice-president of the Prince Rupert Port Authority, said. “We should grow strongly again in 2011 and approach capacity of more than 700,000 TEUs in perhaps the next two or three years."
The COSCO Alliance of Asian shipping lines serves Fairview Terminal, which in turn serves the U.S. Midwest and Central Canada via Canadian National Railway, Journal of Commerce reports.
Maynard Angus, port spokesman, and Stevenson, said in interviews that the Alliance has plenty of room to increase its tonnage and that discussions are taking place currently with other shipping lines and shippers to use Prince Rupert.
With recovery occurring in trans-Pacific trade and with the U.S. economy showing recovery, Stevenson said.
Loaded import containers from Asia, particularly China were up 24.2 percent over 2009 to 193,507, and export containers, at 149,859, were up 37 percent over the previous year.
A highlight on the export side, Stevenson said, was "the growth in lumber and other forest products from Western Canada," shipped in containers.
In 2010 export loaded containers rose to 63,111 TEUs, a 62.8-percent surge over 2009, but there still remained 86,748 empties.
Coal in bulk led the port's overall cargo-handling to a record 16,424,512 metric tons in 2010, the Prince Rupert Port Authority reported.
The container part of the port, which has completed three full years of operation, is "operating at about 50 per cent of capacity right now,” Shaun Stevenson, vice-president of the Prince Rupert Port Authority, said. “We should grow strongly again in 2011 and approach capacity of more than 700,000 TEUs in perhaps the next two or three years."
The COSCO Alliance of Asian shipping lines serves Fairview Terminal, which in turn serves the U.S. Midwest and Central Canada via Canadian National Railway, Journal of Commerce reports.
Maynard Angus, port spokesman, and Stevenson, said in interviews that the Alliance has plenty of room to increase its tonnage and that discussions are taking place currently with other shipping lines and shippers to use Prince Rupert.
With recovery occurring in trans-Pacific trade and with the U.S. economy showing recovery, Stevenson said.
Loaded import containers from Asia, particularly China were up 24.2 percent over 2009 to 193,507, and export containers, at 149,859, were up 37 percent over the previous year.
A highlight on the export side, Stevenson said, was "the growth in lumber and other forest products from Western Canada," shipped in containers.
In 2010 export loaded containers rose to 63,111 TEUs, a 62.8-percent surge over 2009, but there still remained 86,748 empties.