Port of Prince Rupert Ships Record Volumes in 2017

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Cargo moving through the Port of Prince Rupert rose to a record volume of 24.1 million tonnes in 2017, anchored by 26% growth in its intermodal container business and growth of dry bulk cargo volumes.

Overall tonnage through the port was up 28% from 2016, and exceeds the previous record high of 23 million tonnes set in 2013.

“The increasingly diversified nature of the gateway, combined with terminal expansion and the introduction of new logistics services, is paying dividends to Canadians,” said Bud Smith, Chair of the Prince Rupert Port Authority. “The Port of Prince Rupert remains well-positioned to accommodate growth of Canadian trade in the Asia-Pacific region, and we continue to advance expansion that will see us become Canada’s second largest port by volume in the next decade.”

2017 terminal highlights include:

• Fairview Container Terminal: DP World completed its expansion of the Fairview Terminal, increasing annual throughput capacity by 60% and enabling the terminal to move 926,540 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units).
• Ridley Terminals: The bulk-handling facility specializing in the shipment of steel-making coal from Northeastern British Columbia, saw total shipments rebound to 7.6 million tonnes, a 90% increase over 2016 volumes.
• Westview Terminal: The wood pellet terminal saw a significant increase in biofuel volumes, up 22% to 1.1 million tonnes, representing the export of nearly half of Canada’s entire wood pellet production.
• Prince Rupert Grain Terminal: The bulk grain terminal saw a slight decrease of 6% based on lower volumes of wheat, but exceeded a total of 5 million tonnes for the fifth straight year.
• Northland Cruise Terminal: Cruise passengers arriving in Prince Rupert more than doubled to over 16,000 visitors on 25 cruise ship visits.

“The strength of the port’s performance last year is a further validation of the Prince Rupert Port Authority’s strategic advantages and the effective collaboration of our partners who operate the terminals, trains, trucks, and other trade-related businesses across the northern corridor,” said Joe Rektor, Interim President & CEO of the Prince Rupert Port Authority. “The women and men dedicated to the safe and efficient movement of goods through the Prince Rupert Port Authority are in a class of their own, and remain a key reason why we’re growing trans-Pacific trade and helping build a better Canada.”

The Prince Rupert Port Authority recently released a study that demonstrated the significant growth in economic benefits for Northern BC that have resulted from growth in trade volumes through the Port over the last decade. Key figures from the study include:

• An estimated $35 billion of trade is shipped through the port annually
• Over $1 billion in economic activity is generated annually in Northern BC
• Over 3100 full-time jobs are directly related to moving international trade, with an average wage of over $83,000

View the full Economic Impact Study.