The past ten years have been a period of rapid growth for the Port of Prince Rupert and its partners, and on Dec. 18, they had an opportunity to celebrate yet another milestone.
The Fairview Container Terminal handled its millionth container (TEU) for the first time in a calendar year on Tuesday. The 40-foot TEU was loaded with dimensional lumber in Prince George before being shipped to Prince Rupert by train and loaded onto the COSCO Africa container ship to be sent to market.
Shaun Stevenson, president and CEO of the Port of Prince Rupert, thanked the port’s partners — including DP World, First Nations, the ILWU, the City of Prince Rupert and CN Rail — for helping it to achieve this accomplishment.
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“Reaching one million TEUs in a calendar year is a significant milestone for the Port of Prince Rupert, which demonstrates the success we and our partners have had in building a strategic gateway for trans-Pacific trade, making Prince Rupert one of the fastest growing gateways in North America,” Stevenson said.
Fairview Terminal has come a long way since its first full year of operation in 2008 when it moved only 182,523 TEUs. In the time since then, the terminal’s Phase 2 North expansion grew its capacity from 500,000 TEUs to 1.35 million TEUs annually.
“The Port of Prince Rupert has been integral in our ability to get our products to Asia quickly and reliably and will continue to be a critical infrastructure hub for our products destined for offshore markets,” said Mark Feldinger, senior vice president, global supply chain for Canfor and Canfor Pulp.
In addition to its development as a vital link in Canada’s logistics and trade chain, the port’s continued expansion has been an economic boon for residents of Prince Rupert and the surrounding region. The International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 505 (ILWU Local 505) has expanded its workforce 425 per cent since the terminal opened in 2007.
“We are proud of the achievements of the terminal and our role in reaching this historic milestone,” said Glen Edwards, President of the ILWU Local 505. “Prince Rupert’s reputation as a reliable and efficient gateway is well-established thanks to the partnerships between the ILWU, the Port of Prince Rupert, DP World Prince Rupert and CN, and we look forward to continued growth and success in the future.”
The next expansion, Phase 2B, will increase the terminal’s capacity to 1.8 million TEUs by 2022.
DP World General Manager, Maksim Mihic, said: “DP World is proud to have achieved the million TEU milestone. We congratulate and thank the men and women whose hard work and dedication made this achievement possible. This accomplishment is also a testament to the strong collaboration and support amongst the supply chain and community partners. We are pleased to share this historic milestone together with our partners.”
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CN president and CEO, JJ Ruest, said: “CN is proud to celebrate such a historic milestone at the Port of Prince Rupert with our partners. At CN we are committed to ensuring the gateway continues to operate with fluidity as it continues to grow. As all of our Supply Chain partners continue to invest in this important gateway, the Port of Prince Rupert has proven yet again, that it is a model to follow.”
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