Shipments through Port Metro Vancouver flatlined in 2015 in response to a slowing global economy and the ongoing commodities downturn.
Total tonnage fell 1% in 2015, as did foreign vessel arrivals. But Port Metro Vancouver CEO Robin Silvester said shipping a diverse array of products has kept Vancouver’s port moving through the downturn. In contrast, coal-focused Ridley Terminals in Prince Rupert saw a 41% decline in 2014.
Vancouver’s port handled a record amount of cargo in 2014, up 3% from 2013. In 2015, the port saw growth in cargo shipped by container to Asia (up 5%), agricultural products (up 8%) and potash (up 15%).
Among agricultural products, lentils and pulses increased 20% because of increased demand from India and China. That demand is expected to continue this year.
The slowdown in Alberta’s oil sands was reflected in lower imports of construction materials like steel. Coal exports dropped 8% because of lower demand from China and lower demand for thermal coal for coal-powered electricity in the United States.
