Port of Quebec cargo numbers for 2000 come in at about 16 million tons

The Port of Quebec has crunched the numbers for 2000 and announced that it handled approximately 16 million tons of cargo last year, almost the same tonnage as in 1999.

Strong results were recorded among others at the dry bulk terminal operated by the St. Lawrence Stevedoring Company, where 2 million tons of iron ore and almost 400,000 tons of clinker were handled, as well as other ores such as nickel, manganese, copper etc.

The IMTT-Qubec liquid bulk terminal also had a strong year and is gradually asserting its position on the St. Lawrence for the movement of chemicals and petroleum products, the port states. IMTT-Qubec recorded its second best year in history with approximately 450,000 marine tons, after breaking the records for largest number of ship calls and largest tonnage handled in 1999.

In the general cargo category, approximately 100,000 tons of goods such as granite and pulp and paper were handled in 2000, slightly more than in 1999.

Some 2 million tons of export grain were handled in 2000 at the Bunge of Canada terminal, this volume accounting for a substantial proportion of Canadian grain movements on the St. Lawrence.

It was also a record year in terms of crude oil imports for the Ultramar wharves with approximately 10 million tons. Investments of more than $60 million announced by the refinery in 2000 will improve overall handling operations at Ultramar over the next few years.