A busy shipping season at the port of Churchill has come to an end.
The vessel Nikator left port Nov. 2 carrying 26,000 tonnes of durum bound for Nigeria, bringing the shipping season to a close.
Total shipments for the year, including Canadian Wheat Board and non-board grains, were 656,298 tonnes, the second highest tonnage on record.
Shipments of board grain totalled 600,000 tonnes, the highest since 621,000 tonnes moved out of the port in 2007.
CWB president Ian White said 2010 was an exceptional year for the port.
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“That’s good news for farmers,” he said. “Exporting prairie wheat through Churchill saves farmers money through reduced transportation costs.”
White said the board looks forward to continuing a strong working relationship with its partners at the port.
Gary Long, president of OmniTrax Canada, which manages the port terminal and railway, said the impressive performance was the result of teamwork among all stakeholders, including the wheat board, Hudson Bay Railway, Canadian National Railway and non-board shippers who used the port.
“This year would not have been possible without a smoothly working team of all concerned,” he said.
The port handled non-board grain for the first time in three years, including 43,000 tonnes of canola and 12,000 tonnes of peas, which is the first ever shipment of food peas.
The shipping season opened July 29, with 22 vessels calling at the port during the three month season. A total of 7,225 rail cars were unloaded.
The port also handled goods destined to communities and mines in Nunavut.
