Port Metro Vancouver (PMV), Canada’s largest port, reported a 1.5 per cent increase in overall cargo traffic in the first half of 2015. By June, PMV had handled 70.3 million tonnes of cargo, whereas by June 2014, it had handled 69.3 million tonnes.
The port attributed the small growth in an increased diversion of containers from the United States as a result of labour disputes as well as the port’s own labour dispute (trucking) in early 2014.
According to a PMV news release, the port saw large increases in wheat (32 per cent), sulphur (18 per cent) and potash (19 per cent), which were offset by decreases in thermal coal (seven per cent) and canola (21 per cent).
Notably, the port saw a seven per cent rise in automobile volume over last year due to strong sales.
All-in-all the port handled 56.6 million tonnes of exports and 13.7 million tonnes of imports. This year imports shrank by 1.9 per cent while exports rose by 2.4 per cent.
PMV Cargo January-June 2015 (million tonnes):
Coal: 18.8
Wood and paper: 13.4
Raw crops: 12.4
Chemicals: 7.5
Fertilizers: 6.0
Consumer products: 4.1
Oil products: 3.4
Construction: 3.1
Food: 1.0
Animal products: 0.6
