Prince Rupert Celebrating Opening of Terminal

Wednesday, September 12, 2007 01:37 PM

Port is set up in demonstration mode to show how containers will be moved ( photo courtesy live web cam at Port of Prince Rupert Fairview Terminal)

The Prince Rupert Port is now officially open for business.

Among the hundreds on hand for the opening is Premier Gordon Campbell, who praised the signing of a friendship agreement between the Port of
Ningbo, China, and the newly expanded Port of Prince Rupert .

It builds on the promise of the Pacific Gateway said the Premier "The friendship agreement between the two ports opens up an important relationship we also want to grow," Campbell said. "Whether commercial, municipal, or cultural, these relationships are essential to our Asia-Pacific future."

(at right, tents for participants in today's official opening are dwarfed by cranes that will lift containers from ships)

The agreement will see the two ports exchange economic and technical information, including information on development and construction, and they will promote the development of shipping opportunities between them. The Port of Ningbo is situated south of Shanghai across Hangzhou Bay, and is considered the best natural deep-water port in China. Ningbo has posted the highest growth rates in China since 1998, drawing increasing levels of foreign investment and shipping traffic.

The $170-million Prnce Rupert terminal project, with a design capacity of 500,000 TEUs (20-foot equivalent units), has been funded by Maher Terminals, CN Rail, the Province of British Columbia, the Government of Canada, and the Prince Rupert Port Authority. Construction has been underway for two years, and was completed on time and on budget.

"The expanded and enhanced port brings Prince Rupert new potential and growth," said Prince Rupert Mayor Herb Pond. "I look forward to the port’s friendship with Ningbo expanding into broader opportunities for the community as a whole."

The first container ship is expected to arrive at the new container port in Prince Rupert mid to late October.

Now that the official ribbon cutting is complete the community of Prince Rupert will be taking part in a celebration festival that will get underway at 5:00 and will be capped with a fireworks display this evening.

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Posted on Wednesday, September 12, 2007 01:37 PM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: Chester on September 12 2007 10:45 PM

Completed on time and on budget. Congratulations to everyone responsible. Not let's continue to keep the freight moving by rail, road and air without disruptions. No blockades, no strikes, no protests and no problems.

We have been given a great opportunity. It is my hope that everyone benefits from this development in our part of the province. Chester

Posted by: camoose on September 12 2007 11:47 PM

Well done. This new port can only benefit all of the north. However, I would like to add to Chester's list of keeping things moving along. No lockouts should be on that list. Congrats to Rupert.

Posted by: Palopu on September 13 2007 10:14 PM

Seems to me you are suggesting we take away peoples right to strike, protest, etc; in order to make a dollar. Some Im sure wouldnt agree with you.

Insofar as being given a great opportunity, we have been given nothing. We and the companies involved are paying big dollars to try and get this venture off the ground. $170 Million dollars to be exact. However at the end of the day, other than creating 200 to 300 jobs in Prince Rupert, there will be little or no benefit to the rest of the Province, or more specifically Prince George BC.

All these containers will go to the US Midwest without stopping in Prince George. Loads going back will be traffic that used to go to Vancouver so no changes there.

Unless someone builds a new industry that produces something that they need in Asia then I dont see anything **big** taking place here.

Some things that will take place will be
Cotton and other Products loaded in Memphis Tenn for China and South East Asia.
Grain Products and Forest Products loaded in Alberta that now go through Vancouver could go to Prince Rupert. Canned fish from Alaska that presently goes to Seattle by ship or barge and loads in Containers will be loaded in Prince Rupert along with forest products out of Alaska, to China.

So there will be some new business for some area's and certainly for Prince Rupert, however Prince George will continue on they same as before. Everything we produce now, is shipped either to the USA, China, or Europe. The only change will be shipping through Prince Rupert rather than Vancouver to China. Products to the USA and Europe will ship the same as they always have.

There are no plans on moving any of these containers out of Prince Rupert by road, nor am I aware of any Air Shipments.