THUNDER BAY – BUSINESS – The Port of Thunder Bay recorded a strong November and is expected to move significant cargo volumes during the final six weeks of the shipping season. Cargo tonnage for the month of November was 16% higher than the ten-year average. The November grain tonnage exceeded 900,000 metric tonnes.
Grain shipments are expected to remain strong through the end of the shipping season in mid-January. Quorum Corporation, which tracks grain movement in the Canadian supply chain, is currently reporting above-average grain deliveries to Thunder Bay from the Prairies. A strong contingent of ocean vessels is expected in port to load grain in December.
In addition to grain, Thunder Bay port facilities moved a variety of other cargoes during November. Outbound shipments included coal and potash from Western Canada while inbound cargoes included road salt and petroleum for regional distribution.
The Port Authority’ s Keefer Terminal received its second of five shipments of dimensional electrical transformers in November, which were trans-loaded directly to rail for furtherance to Western Canada. Three additional shipments of transformers will be shipped in 2017. Keefer has had a very successful season handling diverse general and project cargoes; cargo tonnage through the terminal is the highest since 1997.
