Regina-based grain company Viterra Inc. has officially opened its enhanced and expanded Pacific Terminal at the Port of Vancouver.
Viterra, a subsidiary of Glencore International, invested more than $100 million in the West Coast terminal and tripled the terminal’s annual handling capacity to more than six million tonnes.
Enhancements at the facility included new bulk weighers, upgrades to shipping conveyors and rotary cleaners, improved electrical and dust control systems and a new ship loading system capable of loading “post-Panamax” vessels, the largest vessels that can navigate through the recently expanded Panama Canal.
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“Our goal through this project was to create a highly efficient port terminal in Canada with unprecedented capability for processing a diverse range of commodities,” said Kyle Jeworski, Viterra’s president and chief executive officer, in an Oct 27 news release.
“Our significant investment, which exceeded $100 million, will enhance our strategic position on the West Coast, as well as our ability to connect the production of our farm customers with our destination customers globally.”
Jeworski said the expanded capacity is similar to adding two additional port facilities in Vancouver.
The upgrade will optimize investments in other parts of Viterra’s asset network, such as a new pulse cleaning facility in Tempest, Alta.,” he added.
With the upgrades at Pacific Terminal, Viterra will be better equipped to handle pulse crops, which require delicate handling relative to some other ag commodities.
The terminal’s new equipment includes a fully enclosed conveyance system that ensures soft handling of products direct to the vessel.
The improvements will allow Viterra to capture “increasing demand for pulse and specialty grain products from customers worldwide,” Jeworski said.
Contact brian.cross@producer.com
