Ocean shipping: Port of Prince Rupert 2007 tonnage growth makes major strides
Jeff Berman, Senior Editor -- Logistics Management, 1/18/2008
Senior Editor Jeff Berman reports on what's new in logistics news; lift trucks; logistics; shippers; Senior Editor Jeff Berman tells us whats new in the latest logistics news. (Logistics Management) http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1381639961http://www.brightcove.com/channel.jsp?channel=1244057710
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PRINCE RUPERT, British Columbia—Overall annual tonnage growth at the Port of Prince Rupert has made significant strides, exceeding the 10 million ton mark—with 10,582,407—for the first time in a decade, port officials said. 2007’s strong showing represents a 36.8 spike over 2006 and a 237 percent rise over 2005, according to a statement issued by the port.
Prince Rupert Port Authority President and CEO Don Krusel said in a statement there are several increases for the impressive tonnage up tick. Chief among them were increasing global demand for industrial fuels such as coal and petroleum coke, continued strong markets for agricultural products, and new business start-ups, including containers and wood pellets. Krusel added that Ridley Terminals—moving 5.09 million tons for an 80.7 increase over 2006—and the Prince Rupert Grain terminal—at roughly 5.1 million tons for a 7.6 percent increase over 2006—paced overall growth.
And Krusel added that the Prince Rupert Container Terminal, which opened in October 2007 and the launch of a wood pellet operation represent the foundation for a strong future at the port. The Antwerp, a 5,400 TEU (Twenty-foot equivalent unit) China Ocean Shipping Company (COSCO) container vessel, was the first vessel to arrive into Prince Rupert Harbor and berthed at the Port’s new Fairview Container Terminal. The Fairview terminal, which is operated by Maher Terminals, is viewed as a “a major new gateway to and from the West Coast of North America and Asia,” as well as to lessen the congestion experienced by the majority of all United States West Coast ports. LM previously reported that this initiative is a joint effort among COSCO, Maher, the Port of Prince Rupert, and the Canadian National Railway Company (CN).
Under the terms of COSCO’s partnership with CN, the carriers provide rail service to various North American markets, including Chicago, Memphis, Nashville, Detroit, Toronto, and Montreal.. This railroad partnership was created to give shippers access to CN’s on-dock, high-capacity, double-stack rail network. The Port of Prince Rupert said that COSCO’s weekly service moved 16,703 TEUs through the new container terminal over the final two months of 2007.
Port of Prince Rupert Manager of Corporate Communications Barry Bartlett told LM that early feedback to the port’s container terminal operations has been very positive, noting that U.S. retailer Target is excited about how things have been going to date, in terms of moving freight thought the port, as is Wisconsin-based Ashley Furniture, one of the leading furniture distributors in North America.
“We are definitely starting to operate on all cylinders,” said Bartlett. “There have been a lot of container and shipping lines that have been very interested [our operations] but are taking a wait and see attitude to see how things are working before jumping on board. They are looking at how performance has been to date.”
In terms of 2008, Bartlett said the Port of Prince Rupert is optimistic it is going to possibly reach its capacity goals for Phase 1 of the container terminal to achieve full utilization of the 500,000 TEU facility, and to begin Phase 2 in early 2009. The second phase, which is expected to be completed in 2012, is projected to handle 1.5 million TEUs annually. And Bartlett noted that a second terminal is on track to be completed in 2015, which will handle an estimated 2.0 million TEU.
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