The Port of Prince Rupert has consistently shown how crucial it is to both Canada’s economic growth and the resilience of its supply lines during the COVID-19 epidemic. The need for more capacity at Prince Rupert has been highlighted by the disruptions and congestion encountered over the past year in southern British Columbia and other North American west coast ports.
The supply chain industry as a whole was facing challenges, and the Port of Prince Rupert was no exception. In 2021, there were 25 million tonnes of cargo traveling through the Gateway annually, a decrease from 20. The volume of propane terminals increased, with AltaGas’ Ridley Island Propane Export Terminal seeing a 29% year-over-year increase in volume and Pembina’s Prince Rupert Liquid Bulk Export Terminal on Watson Island adding new volume to the Gateway, while the container and dry bulk lines of business saw declines in tonnage.
The decline in many economic sectors only highlights the necessity for the port complex to sustainably expand and diversify in order to create stability during periods of regular market changes. In fact, the Prince Rupert Port Authority (PRPA) worked assiduously on plans to diversify and enhance the Port’s capabilities to promote Canadian commerce in 2021. A number of initiatives are under progress to improve the intermodal environment, including the development of the Fairview-Ridley Connector Corridor, the Fairview Container Terminal expansion, and cutting-edge import and export logistics facilities. In order to support a prospective Final Investment Decision in 2022, the Vopak Pacific Canada project continued to work through its environmental study and necessary authorizations.
