The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority has released their 2020 mid-year statistics for goods moving through the Port of Vancouver. From January 1 to June 30, 2020, overall cargo through the port decreased by 1.1% from 72.4 to 71.7 million metric tonnes (MMT) over the same time last year. Despite an overall decrease in cargo moving through the port, new mid-year records were set for bulk and containerized grain, as well as total foreign tonnage and foreign exports. Strong global demand for Canadian grain resulted in a new mid-year record of 16.3 MMT for both bulk and containerized grain, an increase of 10.4% or 1.5 MMT compared to mid-year grain records from the previous year. Total foreign tonnage and foreign exports resulted in mid-year records of 57.7 and 49.7 MMT, up 1.2% and 2.1% respectively, due to strong increases in grain, petroleum, chemicals and canola oil volumes. Increases in wheat, up 7.5%, canola, up 25.6%, and specialty crops, up 10.0%, contributed to this new record. In fertilizers, potash exports decreased by 6.7% from last year’s record and sulphur increased by 5.7%.
