THUNDER BAY – BUSINESS – Grain elevators have been busy the past several weeks in the Port of Thunder Bay. For only the second time in twenty years, July grain volumes surpassed 800,000 metric tonnes.
The surge brings the grain tally at the port in line with the previous season and 4% greater than the five-year average.
The jump in grain shipments demonstrates the benefit of Thunder Bay’s available capacity, says Port of Thunder Bay CEO Tim Heney. “The grain elevators in Thunder Bay typically operate well below their capacity. The extra available capacity is critical in times of surge when farmers are delivering large quantities of grain to market. The Canadian grain industry needs an outlet that can efficiently handle those surges, and Thunder Bay delivers.”
Above-average grain carryover on Prairie farms and an anticipated strong 2018 harvest indicate a potentially strong fall for grain movement at the port.
Total port cargo shipments in July topped 1 million metric tonnes. Bulk shipments of coal and potash remain ahead of average, although somewhat behind last year’s standout volumes. Project cargo volumes continued at a strong pace, with shipments of modular buildings, steel, and windmills keeping cargo handlers busy during the month.
