It wasn’t a banner month at the Port of Prince Rupert during September, with four out of five terminals posting cargo handling tonnage decreases from September 2015, but with Ridley Coal Terminal experiencing a slight increase from last year.
Fairview Container Terminal posted a 7.6 per cent decrease in traffic from last year, when workers handled 605,250 tonnes, compared to September 2015’s 651,155 tonnes.
Prince Rupert Grain Terminal experienced a 13 per cent decrease from last year, handling 375,951 tonnes of traffic versus 424,417 a year ago.
Westview Wood Pellet Terminal also saw decreases in traffic, with the terminal handling 61 per cent less tonnage – 38,635 tonnes in September compared to 99,833 tonnes a year ago.
The Alaska Marine Highway handled 31 per cent less traffic, handling 171 tonnes in September 2016 versus 224 last year.
Ridley Coal was the sole cargo terminal posting an increase, with operators handling 259,125 tonnes of cargo compared to September 2015’s 243,769 – a six per cent increase.
All cargo terminals are posting year-to-date decreases except Westview, which is outperforming last year’s numbers by 108,289 tonnes so far this year.
Domestic ferry passenger numbers rose from last year, with 8,459 bodies coming through the ferry docks in September, compared to 7,299 last year — a 14 per cent increase.
But foreign passenger numbers declined by 211 people from 2015 when 1,333 people came through the ferries in September compared to 1,544 a year ago – a 16 per cent decrease.
Northland Cruise Terminal also posted a decrease from September 2015 as 179 people visited the port, versus 477 a year ago. All passenger terminals are outperforming 2015’s numbers year-to-date.