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Fast and furious April at Thunder Bay port

The spring reopening of the St. Lawrence Seaway meant a flurry of activity at the Port of Thunder Bay. Cargo moving through the western Lake Superior port in April were up 34 per cent over last year, mainly due to higher outbound grain shipments.
Northern Ontario Business Staff

The spring reopening of the St. Lawrence Seaway meant a flurry of activity at the Port of Thunder Bay.

Cargo moving through the western Lake Superior port in April were up 34 per cent over last year, mainly due to higher outbound grain shipments. Grain shipments, most of which continue on for storage at St. Lawrence River elevators for shipment overseas, increased by 250,000 tonnes for the month.

In continuing a trend for 2011, wheat and canola dominated grain volumes. The Thunder Bay Port Authority reports wheat shipments in April were up 63 per cent over last year.

There was also a wide variety of cargo handled through the port include the first 'project' cargo shipment of wind turbines and nacelles delivered to Keefer Terminal by the Netherlands-flagged vessel Flintersun. The cargo was loaded onto railcars for the trip to Western Canada. That was followed by another shipment of wind turbine components aboard the Dutch-flagged Morraborg.

Forty-six vessels arrived in port compared to 37 during the same month last year.