Huge capacity boost for terminal at Canada’s Prince Rupert Port
Vancouver: Prince Rupert Port in northern British Columbia, announced on Tuesday a huge increase in capacity at its Fairview Container Terminal.
Operator Maher Terminals said it’s expanding operations there by 500,000 from its current level of 850,000 units, to handle 1.3 million containers per year, an increase of nearly 60%.
The investment of more than $200m will add a second deep-water ship berth, four cranes, a bigger container yard and more railroad track. It would also add about 150 full-time equivalent positions to Fairview’s workforce of 250.
Prince Rupert Port is the second largest on Canada’s west coast, and the closest North American port to Asia. It touts its relative proximity to the US heartland and has developed a strong relationship with Chinese bulk carrier Cosco.
The port authority said container traffic through the facility has increased at a faster pace than at any other port in North America, with 2014 volume 15 per cent higher than 2013.
