THUNDER BAY — With about one month nonetheless left within the delivery season, the Port of Thunder Bay is having fun with what port officers are describing as “generational” cargo volumes this 12 months.
“We’re anticipating a very good end right here,” mentioned Chris Heikkinen, CEO of the port authority.
To the top of November, the port has established modern-era information for key cargoes together with potash and phosphate fertilizer.
Fertilizer shipments, that are dealt with inbound at Keefer Terminal, have additionally contributed to the terminal seeing its highest annual cargo quantity in many years.
Potash, shipped from the port’s dry bulk terminals, has doubled in tonnage from the identical month final 12 months, reaching a degree final reported 4 many years in the past.
The Thunder Bay Port Authority additionally reported Monday that grain volumes in November held sturdy within the wake of serious beneficial properties skilled over the earlier two months, leaving the year-to-date quantity greater than 500,000 metric tons increased than the five-year common.
Heikkinen mentioned that, general, that is shaping as much as be the most effective delivery season in over 25 years.
“It is nice to see will increase, particularly within the variety of the cargoes we’re having. Each ton means extra work for native individuals. So it is our goal at all times to attempt to enhance and diversify the marine cargoes coming by the port. Proper now, we’re having some success, and which means extra {dollars} for our native financial system.”
The sturdy delivery season is mirrored, as nicely, within the variety of ships visiting Thunder Bay, with 432 vessels tying up by the top of final month, in contrast with solely 388 a 12 months in the past.
In keeping with the newest knowledge offered by the port authority, exercise within the port contributes $370 million to town’s financial system every year, and is chargeable for sustaining about 1,000 jobs.
