Fraser River Port reports growth at Annual Public Meeting

Fraser River Port reports growth at Annual Public Meeting

October 19, 2004: Fraser River Port is thriving and will continue to be a strong generator of jobs and prosperity for BC’s Lower Mainland, Port officials said at their Annual Public Meeting held in New Westminster, October 14^th.

“Last year our cargo throughput grew to a record 35.9 million tonnes,” said Malkiat Dhami, Chair of the Fraser River Port Authority Board of Directors, noting it was the second-highest throughput of any port in Canada.

The Port Authority expects this year will be even better.

“Container volumes for the current year are already ahead of last year by roughly 27 per cent,” said Captain Allen Domaas, President and CEO of the Fraser River Port Authority. “And our container capacity will have almost doubled once ongoing improvements to our terminals and properties are complete in 2005.”

Domaas also praised the Lower Mainland Municipal Association, the Union of BC Municipalities, and the mayors of all nine municipalities surrounding the Port along the Lower Fraser, for recent resolutions they prepared calling for sustained federal government funding for annual channel maintenance dredging. He also thanked local MLAs and MPs for their support.

“The support we have seen at every level has been tremendous. There’s certainly a new attitude in Ottawa towards what is happening in British Columbia. They now understand that dredging is about the protection of people living and working on the floodplain, not just about getting ships safely to terminals.”

Securing sustainable funding for annual dredging would free up Port Authority resources, enabling it to focus on economic generation and the creation of growth opportunities by reinvesting in port infrastructure.

Captain Domaas also discussed the benefits of shortsea shipping as a way the river can be utilized to help alleviate some of the traffic congestion in the region.

“We have a tremendous opportunity to increase utilization of the river for waterborne commerce and transportation of goods within the region. Shortsea shipping could reduce heavy truck traffic in some areas, help trucks become more efficient, and reduce wear and tear on road infrastructure,” said Domaas.