Domestic shipping volumes continued to rise, increasing 3% to 8,585,638 tonnes, with the largest increase noted in outbound shipments increasing 6% to 5,125,470 tonnes, largely due to growth in steel and general cargo movements.

International shipments reflected an expected decline, anticipated in the wake of recent shipping line consolidations and reallocations of container traffic within the region’s terminals with container volumes at 53,906 TEUs. The decrease in container shipments was balanced by growth in the Ports other niche cargoes – steel, forest products, and automobiles. Steel volumes grew by 14% over the same period last year to 539,696 tonnes, while auto shipments increased by 10% to 264,221 tonnes. Forest products continued to show strong growth, including log shipments, which increased by 32% to 349,956 tonnes.

Ship arrivals held steady over the same quarter last year at 171 for the quarter; however year-to-date totals reflected a seven percent decline at 327.

Fraser River Port is Canada’s largest fresh water port and Canada’s largest automobile port, encompassing 270 kilometres of shoreline along the Fraser River from Langley to the Strait of Georgia. The Port generates 38,500 jobs in British Columbia and contributes $3.7 billion to Canada’s Gross Domestic Product.

International Cargo Summary - 2nd Quarter 2006
Domestic Cargo Summary - 2nd Quarter 2006