Cargo Statistics: Halifax, NWSA, Port of Prince Rupert, South Louisiana

 

Containerized cargo volume through the Port of Halifax in 2017 was 559,242 TEUs, up 16% over 2016. This is the highest volume of containerized cargo the Port of Halifax has handled in a single year. The previous record was 550,462 TEU, set in 2005.

 

The cruise industry in Halifax also experienced record numbers in 2017, with 173 vessel calls carrying 292,722 passengers.

2017 Cargo

• Containerized throughput for 2017 is 559,242 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU), up 16% year-over-year.
• Non-containerized tonnage in 2017 is 371,913 metric tonnes.
• Total cargo tonnage through HPA facilities in 2017 is 5,010,735 metric tonnes, up 12%.

2017 Cruise

• 173 vessel calls, up 27% year-over-year
• 292,722 cruise guests, up 23% year-over-year

 

 

The Northwest Seaport Alliance’s total container volumes grew 1 percent in 2017 for a total of 3.7 million TEUs.

 

International volumes in 2017 were the fourth highest in NWSA history. Total international container volume, including empties, increased 4 percent for the year to 2,958,466 TEUs. At 1,513,029 TEUs, import volumes remained flat compared to 2016 volumes. Meanwhile exports were up 7 percent at 1,445,438 TEUs.

 

Total monthly volumes for the gateway declined 3 percent over December 2016. Imports for the month of December decreased 5 percent to 132,584 TEUs compared to last December. Exports were up 2 percent to 124,903 TEUs.

 

Total domestic volumes for the month decreased 10 percent compared to December 2016. Alaska’s volumes were down 7 percent for the year due to soft market conditions. Hawaii volumes through the Pacific Northwest were down 2 percent for the year.

 

Other cargo highlights:

 

Log volumes were up 57 percent to 278,078 metric tons for the year due to a consistent demand from China in 2017. Other breakbulk cargo volume was up 16 percent to 210,725 metric tons for the year. Auto volumes for the year mirrored the overall decline in the North American auto import market. NWSA ended the year down 11 percent, handling 146,885 units.

 

 

Cargo moving through the Port of Prince Rupert rose to a record volume of 24.1 million tonnes in 2017, anchored by 26% growth in its intermodal container business and growth of dry bulk cargo volumes.

 

Overall tonnage through the port was up 28% from 2016, and exceeds the previous record high of 23 million tonnes set in 2013.

 

2017 Terminal highlights include:

 

Fairview Container Terminal: DP World completed its expansion of the Fairview Terminal, increasing annual throughput capacity by 60% and enabling the terminal to move 926,540 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units).

 

Ridley Terminals: The bulk-handling facility specializing in the shipment of steel-making coal from Northeastern British

Columbia, saw total shipments rebound to 7.6 million tonnes, a 90% increase over 2016 volumes.

 

Westview Terminal: The wood pellet terminal saw a significant increase in biofuel volumes, up 22% to 1.1 million tonnes, representing the export of nearly half of Canada’s entire wood pellet production.

 

Prince Rupert Grain Terminal: The bulk grain terminal saw a slight decrease of 6% based on lower volumes of wheat, but exceeded a total of 5 million tonnes for the fifth straight year.

 

Northland Cruise Terminal: Cruise passengers arriving in Prince Rupert more than doubled to over 16,000 visitors on 25 cruise ship visits.

 

 

The Port of South Louisiana has set an unprecedented cargo-volume record in 2017, surpassing 2016’s tonnage of 294.9 million short tons by 4.4%. The district’s total tonnage increase was propelled, in particular, by the handling of Chemicals/Fertilizers (6%), Coal/Lignite/Coke (123%), Crude Oil (4%), Ores/Phosphate Rock (2%), Petrochemicals (4%), and Steel Products (41%).

 

Total tonnage for 2017 was over 307.8 million short tons, 12.9 million short tons more than in 2016. Both vessel calls and barge movements in the Port district increased in 2017: 4,589 and 65,490, respectively. Exports were over 71.7 million short tons, while domestic trade exceeded 160.1 million short tons, representing increases of 6% and 4.2% respectively compared to 2016 trade. The growth of 4.1 million short tons in export trade was aided primarily by commodities such as Grain (31%), Chemicals/Fertilizers (85%), Coal/Lignite/Coke (84%) and Crude Oil (509%). Imports also increased (by 2%) due to the handling of products like Crude Oil (1%), Ores/Phosphate Rock (2%), and Petrochemicals(5%), and Steel Products (108%).