Port of Prince Rupert (Canada) ramping it up
The Port of Prince Rupert is riding high, with coal and grain driving its volume of shipments up 75 per cent in 2006.
It is the best year for the port since 2000, handling 7.7 million metric tonnes of commodities compared to 4.4 million metric tonnes in 2005, despite the closure of its Fairview bulk terminal for conversion to a container port.
Don Krusel, president and CEO of the Prince Rupert Port Authority, said the increase is a direct result of Prince Rupert Grain and Ridley Terminals Inc. capitalizing on improved market conditions. Competitive freight rates allowed it to pursue new business while handling more products for current customers, he said.
"They seized the opportunities presented to them and successfully delivered their higher throughputs to meet the needs and expectations of their customers," said Krusel.
Greg Slocombe, chief operating officer of Ridley Terminals, said the opening of new coal mines in northeastern British Columbia and strong Asian demand for thermal coal fuelled a 177-per-cent increase in coal throughput to 2.8 million tonnes in 2006.
"Some of the new mines that were just in planning and development started producing last year [bringing] our volumes up and they are continuing to rise," he said.
"In 2007 we are seeing good strong markets and solid production and I think our volumes will be up again substantially from where they were in 2006."
Meanwhile, a reduction in rail freight charges in August 2006 is one of the factors that helped increase tonnage at Prince Rupert Grain by more than 52 per cent, from 3.1 million tonnes in 2005 to 4.7 million tonnes in 2006.
Last August, CN Rail lowered freight rates to three per cent below other West Coast grain terminals, reflecting the cost efficiencies of transporting agrifoods on a northern mainline that lacks congestion and the efficiency of Prince Rupert Grain's elevator.
Strong global demand for agrifoods, particularly in China and India, fed a 197-per-cent increase in grain, 110-per-cent increase in canola and a 61-per-cent increase in wheat.
And the coming year continues to look bright for Prince Rupert as Ridley Terminals expects to start handling wood pellets from Houston Pellet in May. A partnership between Canadian Forest Products (Canfor), Pinnacle Pellet and the Moricetown First Nation and Houston Pellet has began construction on a wood pellet handling operation at Ridley Terminals, including the first of four silos.
"And of course we will actually start moving containers through the port in the last quarter of the year," said Krusel.
The port expects an October opening for the first phase of its new Fairview Container Terminal, with an annual capacity of 500,000 TEUs (20-foot equivalent units are typical shipping containers).
Operated by Maher Terminals, the Fairview Container Terminal will be the first pure intermodal port in North America, with containers moving directly from ship to rail cars.
It is the best year for the port since 2000, handling 7.7 million metric tonnes of commodities compared to 4.4 million metric tonnes in 2005, despite the closure of its Fairview bulk terminal for conversion to a container port.
Don Krusel, president and CEO of the Prince Rupert Port Authority, said the increase is a direct result of Prince Rupert Grain and Ridley Terminals Inc. capitalizing on improved market conditions. Competitive freight rates allowed it to pursue new business while handling more products for current customers, he said.
"They seized the opportunities presented to them and successfully delivered their higher throughputs to meet the needs and expectations of their customers," said Krusel.
Greg Slocombe, chief operating officer of Ridley Terminals, said the opening of new coal mines in northeastern British Columbia and strong Asian demand for thermal coal fuelled a 177-per-cent increase in coal throughput to 2.8 million tonnes in 2006.
"Some of the new mines that were just in planning and development started producing last year [bringing] our volumes up and they are continuing to rise," he said.
"In 2007 we are seeing good strong markets and solid production and I think our volumes will be up again substantially from where they were in 2006."
Meanwhile, a reduction in rail freight charges in August 2006 is one of the factors that helped increase tonnage at Prince Rupert Grain by more than 52 per cent, from 3.1 million tonnes in 2005 to 4.7 million tonnes in 2006.
Last August, CN Rail lowered freight rates to three per cent below other West Coast grain terminals, reflecting the cost efficiencies of transporting agrifoods on a northern mainline that lacks congestion and the efficiency of Prince Rupert Grain's elevator.
Strong global demand for agrifoods, particularly in China and India, fed a 197-per-cent increase in grain, 110-per-cent increase in canola and a 61-per-cent increase in wheat.
And the coming year continues to look bright for Prince Rupert as Ridley Terminals expects to start handling wood pellets from Houston Pellet in May. A partnership between Canadian Forest Products (Canfor), Pinnacle Pellet and the Moricetown First Nation and Houston Pellet has began construction on a wood pellet handling operation at Ridley Terminals, including the first of four silos.
"And of course we will actually start moving containers through the port in the last quarter of the year," said Krusel.
The port expects an October opening for the first phase of its new Fairview Container Terminal, with an annual capacity of 500,000 TEUs (20-foot equivalent units are typical shipping containers).
Operated by Maher Terminals, the Fairview Container Terminal will be the first pure intermodal port in North America, with containers moving directly from ship to rail cars.