The Port of Prince Rupert's container terminal has been ranked as the fastest growing in North America and No. 8 in the world as part of independent marine consulting firm Drewry Publishing's annual container port overview.
The port, and particularly its three-year-old container terminal, has been touted as providing economic benefits to Prince George and Northern B.C.
The port's Fairvew Container Terminal handled nearly 345,000 container units in 2010, a 29.5 per cent increase over 2009.
Import container volumes grew 24.2 per cent, while export volumes grew a staggering 37 per cent, said the Prince Rupert Port Authority. The increase was driven, in part, by north-central B.C. softwood lumber destined for the burgeoning Chinese market.
"The growth in export volumes originating in the northwest and across the northern corridor was a very positive development through 2010, and clearly demonstrated the potential for the Port of Prince Rupert as a strategic gateway for Canadian and U.S. exports," said Prince Rupert Port Authority president and CEO Don Krusel.
The container increase helped the Port of Prince Rupert reach record cargo volumes in 2010.
The port handled a record 16.4 million tonnes of cargo, up 35 per cent over 2009. It's the first time is has surpassed 13 million tonnes since 1997.
The cargo increase was also driven by strong coal exports through Ridley Terminals.
The provincial and federal governments invested $30 million each in the $170-million container terminal at Prince Rupert, which opened in the fall of 2007.
The container terminal was meant to create another gateway on Canada's west coast between Asian and North American markets, a corridor Prince George plays a significant role in.
Lumber and pulp is already being loaded at CN's $20-million container loading facility in Prince George. The Prince George Airport is planning to use its $36-million lengthened runway (the third longest runway in Canada) to attract cargo traffic.
The Port of Prince Rupert continues to work on the second phase of its container terminal plan, a $650 million project that would quadruple annual capacity to two million containers.
The Port of Rupert also has expansion plans for its other facilities, including coal and break-bulk, possibly even moving autos.
