The Prince Rupert Port Authority kicked off Trade Talks last week, a series that will provide insider perspectives on port operations and the trade business.
"The Trade Talks are to not only educate people in Prince Rupert about port activities, but also to illustrate the unique and innovative approaches that are being taken by port partners as they help build the Port of Prince Rupert," Michael Gurney, manager of corporate communications for the Prince Rupert Port Authority, said.
Quickload Logistics director of corporate affairs Kristina De Araujo was the first speaker in the series, giving insight into the cargo handling company's operations. De Araujo said since its inception in 2007, Quickload has seen significant growth and has displayed innovation to help support its customers.
Quickload Logistics president and chief executive officer Matt Holland and Kilmer Van Nostrand, Holland's investing partner from the Kilmer Group, launched the enterprise in 2007, with operations beginning on the same day the first container vessel arrived at Fairview Terminal. Today, Quickload has two operations to coincide with port activities: A container examination and warehousing facility on Ridley Island and a logistics centre on Watson Island.
The first Quickload operation in Prince Rupert was the container examination facility, designed to accommodate the Canada Borders Services Agency's (CBSA) examination process. Any containers CBSA requires to be examined get brought to the facility.
"We have staff that unload the container while CBSA examines the goods. Then they reload the containers and bring them back down to the terminal," said De Araujo, who started with Quickload shortly after its inception.
Quickload also stores containers that do not pass the CBSA's air quality tests until they are free of excess fumes. To help ensure containers get shipped out as soon as possible, Quickload created a special door to the venting yard that allows for increased air ventilation. Prior to this development, containers could get stuck in the facility for as long as several months.
Quickload Logistics' second undertaking is the logistics service centre on Watson Island, which has seen significant growth. Quickload purchased a small trans-loading company operating out of Watson Island that was processing about 10 lumber containers per week, and that number has increased to 300 containers per week. In 2012, the company diversified its offerings to include the mining sector.
At the Trade Talks event, De Araujo said a testament to Quickload's commitment to meet the needs of shippers is the installation of the C-Loader. The C-Loader is an advanced materials handling machine, that stuffs cargo into containers in a safer, more efficient, less damaging manner, and has sped up the cycle time from 12 minutes to just four
minutes.
Gurney said the Trade Talks series will continue, featuring terminal operators from Prince Rupert, as well as members of the port community from the trade corridor between Prince Rupert and Prince George.