Prince Rupert container volume up 151pc

Cargo volumes through the west coast Canadian Port of Prince Rupert have picked up in the second quarter to a level close to the volume handled in the first half months of 2008, the Shipping Gazette informs.

Its Fairview Container Terminal handled 97,616 TEU during the first six months, a 124 per cent increase over the 43,555 TEU moved in the same period in 2008. Second quarter 2009 traffic was up 151 per cent, to 56,573 TEU compared to 22,515 TEU for April-June in 2008.
All port terminals handled a combined 5.42 million tonnes of cargo in the first half compared to 5.44 million tonnes in the first half 2008. Tonnage throughput for the first quarter of 2009 was 2.38 million, down 24.5 per cent compared to the 3.07 million tonnes handled in the first quarter of 2008.

Port authorities said in a statement that containers and grain led the surge in second quarter traffic, while log exports and chemicals also experienced significant growth. Coal volumes continued a negative trend, although coking coal, petroleum coke and wood pellets showed some positive gains.

Prince Rupert Grain handled 2.9 million tonnes in the first half of 2009, an increase of 32.8 per cent over the same period in 2008. Wheat was the largest contributor, rising from 1.6 to 2.7 million tonnes, followed by canola, which was up 31.7 per cent. However, barley was down 88.1 per cent to 52,225 tonnes.

In the first half of the year, the volume of coal handled by Ridley Terminals was down 59.1 per cent, from 2.52 million tonnes to 1.03 million tonnes. The decrease was said to be the direct result of the current economic downturn, which has seen significant cutbacks in steel production by up to 50 per cent below 2008 levels. However, coking coal, was up 146.6 per cent to 173,628 tonnes; petroleum coke, up 38.4 per cent to 128,058 tonnes; and wood pellets, up 36.3 per cent to 75,500 tonnes.
    
(Source: Transport Weekly)