The latest shipping statistics for April in the Port of Thunder Bay show an increase in cargo volume, with 36% more tonnage compared to the corresponding month in the previous year.
After a downturn in grain shipping two seasons ago due to a poor harvest, the recovery in grain volumes that began last year continues this spring. The port has surpassed average export levels, registering an 11% increase in grain shipments compared to the five-year average.
Year-to-date grain exports have also seen a substantial rise of 25% compared to the same period last season. The exceptional potash season last year has also carried over, with potash shipments in April already 4.4 times higher than the previous season.
The Port of Thunder Bay has established itself as a reliable hub for potash exports, with a promising outlook for sustained high export levels in the ongoing season. At Keefer Terminal, the port’s stevedoring partner Logistec handled imports of phosphate fertilizer and steel rail, which are stored on-site for future transshipment to Western Canada.
A notable highlight this month is the increased vessel traffic in port compared to the previous season. Fourteen additional ships called upon our port, with nine of them being foreign vessels, commonly referred to as “salties.”
(Port of Thunder Bay photo)
