2011 port report

FROM THE MM&D JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012 PRINT EDITION:

Halifax
The Port of Halifax invested over $100 million in projects at the Richmond and South End terminals and $8 million in other projects including a grain elevator, breakbulk and container terminals.

Overall, port tonnage for 2011 was down by 0.3 percent compared to 2010. Measured in metric tonnes, containerized cargo experienced a 5.3 percent drop in 2011. Total containerized throughput for 2011 was 410,649 TEUs (a drop of 5.7 percent in TEUs). Breakbulk cargo also fell by 11.1 percent. Roll-on/roll-off cargo also declined, falling 1.3 percent. Bulk cargo grew by 3.1 percent.

Quebec
It was a strong year for the Quebec Port Authority, as the port logged record tonnage with close to 29 million tonnes of cargo handled. This represents an 18 percent increase over 2010.

There are plans to spend nearly $50 million in 2012. This is the largest investment in the port since the construction of the Beauport sector in the 1960s. Currently the

port is completing a number of short and middle-term infrastructure projects.

Montreal

The Port of Montreal experienced a very strong year. Preliminary figures indicate the total volume of cargo handled at the Port, all traffic combined, was up over nine percent in 2011. The total of 28 million tonnes of cargo set a handling record for the port.

Toronto
The Port of Toronto had a busy year moving approximately 1.65 million tonnes of cargo in 2011, which is up about seven percent from 2010.

Its top 2011 bulk cargo was salt, the tonnage of which increased about 60 percent from 2010 (due to the snowy winter last year).

The total for bulk cargo increased by eight percent from 2010. The increase in salt shipments offset the slight reduction in sugar movements in 2011.

Vancouver

Port Metro Vancouver reported a strong year in 2011. It handled 122.5 million tonnes of cargo, a 3.4 percent increase over 2010. Both foreign and domestic shipments were up. Total foreign tonnage increased 2.5 percent to 95.6 million tonnes and domestic tonnage was up seven percent to 26.9 million tonnes.

Auto volumes were down 22 percent. Container traffic at Port Metro Vancouver kept pace with a record-setting 2010, with volumes flat at 2.5 million TEUs, supported by a six percent increase in containerized exports.

Prince Rupert
The Prince Rupert Port Authority reports container throughput was up in 2011. It handled 410,469 total TEUs compared with 343,366 in 2010, which was a 20 percent increase.

While loaded containers grew by 30 percent over 2010, empties fell by 11 percent from 86,748 in 2010 to 76,935 in 2011.

In terms of tonnage, the Fairview terminal handled 20 percent more foreign cargo in 2011. Prince Rupert Grain had an overall increase of 17 percent, although alfalfa pellets fell 100 percent. Ridley terminal saw an total gain of 16 percent despite a loss of 92 percent of its wood pellet and 30 percent of is petroleum coke cargo.

The Alaska Marine Highway terminal handled 1,883 tonnes of general cargo, up two percent from 2010, while the CN Rail terminal moved 38,166 tonnes of chemicals and liquefied petroleum gas, down 15 percent from 2010. MM&D