Feasibility study finds positive results for transshipment hub on Alberni Inlet

PORT ALBERNI, B.C.–Results of the highly anticipated study into the feasibility of a container shipment hub on Alberni Inlet “exceeded our expectations,” says the Port Alberni Port Authority CEO.

The port authority announced results of the Port Alberni Transshipment Hub (PATH) Feasibility Study on Tuesday. The study was conducted from December to July and evaluated the merits of a container terminal at Sarita Bay, about 90 kilometres southwest of Port Alberni, said the Alberni Valley Times.

“The results of the study on every level exceeded our expectations of positive opportunity,” stated port authority president and CEO Zoran Knezevic.

He expected the study would find the project to be economically viable, but he was impressed with the environmental benefits.

“We expected there would be some benefits. But not as much as the study has proved,” Knezevic said. He mentioned the 14.5 million kilometres saved for truck trips in Greater Vancouver, which would lead to a reduction of 22,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.

Less heavy trucking on Lower Mainland roads would ease traffic flow and save commuters there about $76 million, according to the study.

Culminating months of preparation and research by experts, the study analyzed areas in navigation, shipping supply chains, design of the terminal, capital and operational expenditure as well as economic, environmental and social impacts.

Don Ferster, chair of the port authority board, stated the study confirms their belief that a transshipment hub here “provides a number of opportunities to create economic value and resiliency throughout the Asia Pacific Canada Gateway.”

The transshipment hub would save three days of travel time for large vessels and serve a catchment area stretching from Squamish to Tacoma, Washington. It could accommodate new Ultra Large Container Ships with a capacity of 22,000 containers, larger than any vessels currently in service. Smaller barges would transport containers farther along the Juan de Fuca, Georgia Strait and Puget Sound corridors.

If the PATH accommodated at least two ships a week and an average of 2.5-million containers per year, it would create at least 1,000 jobs in Port Alberni, Knezevic said.

“The impact of that would be significant and far-reaching,” said the CEO, adding he’s cautious about making any guarantees about the number of local jobs.

According to the PATH study the economic impact across the country would be over 288,000 full-time jobs and an increase of $21.3 billion to the national GDP.

Knezevic said the next step is to secure investors for the project, which requires a capital investment of $1.7 billion.

If enough capital funding were found, it would take about six to eight years to develop.

About half the cost of the $450,000 study was covered by the federal government under the Asia Pacific Gateway Canada Transportation Infrastructure Funding program, with a contribution from the Huu-ayaht First Nation.

Sarita Bay is the optimal site for the transshipment hub, which overlaps with the Huuay- aht traditional territory and treaty settlement lands. The Huu-ay-aht made a contribution to funding the study and have partnered with the port authority on the project.

“As the feasibility study reaffirmed, this project holds great potential to unlock the wealth of our treaty lands for the benefit of our citizens and the region as a whole,” stated Huu-ayaht’s chief councillor Jeff Cook.

Sarita Bay is shared as a potential site for the Steelhead LNG Corp. liquefied natural gas plant. Knezevic said the two projects together would be mutually beneficial.

“They will be able to share the infrastructure that will be required, which is roads and power, tug boats and services of the specialized industry like marine surveyors,” said the report.