Prince Rupert Port Declares 2017 Successful
PRINCE RUPERT – 2017 was an exciting year of growth according to officials with the Port of Prince Rupert. The Fairview Terminal expansion project was completed, cargo volumes rose and cruise ship visitors more than doubled to over 16,000.
“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,” he added. The Port Authority has set a goal of becoming Canada’s second largest port as measured by volume, within the next ten years.
The Port Authority reporting the overall tonnage of materials handled by the port jumped by 28% when compared to 2016. 7.6 million tonnes of coal shipped through the Ridley Terminals were up 90%. The Westview Terminal, which handles wood pellets, moved 1.1 million tonnes through its facility, an increase of 22%. The Prince Rupert Grain Terminal saw a marginal decline of 6% while the Northland Cruise Terminal managed 25 cruise ship visits.
“The strength of the port’s performance last year is a further validation of the Port of Prince Rupert’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.