Bruce Wood News

Grain shipments through the St. Lawrence Seaway are up 7 per cent this season, continuing the pace set last year when ships carried the largest volume of grain through the navigation system in 14 years. According to The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation, grain shipments (including Canadian and U.S. grain) totaled 1.9 million metric tons from April 2 to May 31. The Port of Thunder Bay, the largest grain port on the Great Lakes, reported that its grain shipments were off to the strongest start this season since 1997, as the major handlers continue to export the harvest from 2014. So far this season, Algoma Central Corporation’s ships have carried 50 per cent more grain, mainly from Thunder Bay to Quebec for transshipment overseas.

Total cargo volumes were 10,526,732 metric tonnes (MT) in 2014, representing a 5% increase over 2013. The port welcomed 157 ships from overseas in 2014, with the balance (462) operating within the Canada/US Great Lakes. Overseas tonnage was 2 million tonnes, a gain of 39 percent year-over-year and the highest volume of overseas cargo in a decade. The Port of Hamilton is the largest port in Ontario. A multimodal hub with full Seaway-depth marine capacity, goods can be imported from, and exported to, anywhere in the world. Direct rail and truck service puts some of North America’s largest consumer markets within a day’s reach. “Efficient transportation can offer a critical advantage in global markets where margins are tight,” said Hamilton Port Authority President & CEO Bruce Wood.

Federal Marine Terminals (FMT) received the inaugural Environmental Recognition Award from the Hamilton Port Authority (HPA) at a special event held on the harbourfront today. This annual award was created to recognize and reward a Hamilton port partner’s contributions to respecting and protecting the natural environment. “Federal Marine Terminals has the largest footprint of any tenant on port property, and the company is a leader when it comes to environmental protection,” noted Bruce Wood, HPA President and CEO. FMT has taken several measures to achieve a high level of environmental performance. For example, on-site dust is controlled using a new road sweeper, significantly reducing airborne particulate. An advanced equipment wash pad system captures wash water and separates out oil.