Nearly 800,000 tonnes of grain moved through the port on the northern shores of Lake Superior in November, bringing the year-to-date total to 6.818 million tonnes, according to a report. That compares with 6.027 million tonnes at the same point a year ago and comes in about 500,000 tonnes above the five-year average for grain movement.

Potash shipments were running at their strongest level in 40 years, with 259,385 tonnes shipped in November. That brought the year-to-date total to 1.676 million tonnes up 11 per cent from 2023.

A total of 432 vessels have visited the port this year, which compares with 388 a year ago. There were 169 foreign ocean going ‘salties’ through November, up from 151 at the same time last year.

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A total of 2.069 million tonnes of grain have moved through the port on the northern shores of Lake Superior during the shipping season-to-date, up 14 per cent from the same time the previous year.

Potash shipments also continued to exhibit strength, with May’s potash volume reaching nearly 260,000 tonnes, which also marked the second highest monthly volume for the commodity in the past two seasons.

Other notable cargo movements in May included the arrival of steel pipes at Keefer Terminal and a shipment of petroleum, the latter being the second liquid bulk import of the season. This return in liquid bulk imports, after an absence last season, was said to signify a continued positive shift in the Port’s cargo diversity.

Overall, a total of 58 vessels visited the port in May, surpassing last season’s monthly high of 56 ships recorded in December. Notably, approximately one-third of these vessels were “salties,” or ocean-going ships.

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After opening in late-March, grain shipments through the end of April of about 1.14 million tonnes were up by 25 per cent from the same time the previous year and were 11 per cent ahead of the five-year average, according to a news release.

Meanwhile, shipments of Western Canadian potash were roughly quadruple what moved the same time in 2023. Terminals in Thunder Bay loaded out 157,656 tonnes of potash in April, which compares with 35,693 tonnes the previous year. Canada is the world’s largest exporter of potash. Thunder Bay, the only export port on the Seaway for potash, handles shipments moving to Europe, North Africa, and South America.

A total of 61 vessels have called on the port to-date, which compares with 44 the previous year.

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That was up by 1.1 million tonnes from the previous year’s pace, but slightly behind the five-year average, according to an update from the port authority. Grain movement in August came in at 608,406 tonnes, which compares with 502,502 tonnes in August 2022.

Potash and general cargo shipments were also described as strong, although year-to-date levels for both at 775,014 tonnes and 20,966 tonnes respectively were down slightly from 2022.

Total cargo movement at the Port of Thunder Bay through Aug. 31, at 4.934 million tonnes, was up from 3.964 million tonnes the previous year due to the increase in grain movement.

The Keefer Terminal also had steady inbound vessel traffic during August and the first week of September, with shipments of bulk fertilizer, steel pipe, steel rail and machinery. The terminal is experiencing its best year to date for steel, with regular shipments continuing through the fall, the report said.

Total vessel traffic in the Port of Thunder Bay increased by 50 vessels as of Aug. 31, year-over-year.

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Grain shipments through the end of June of about 2.5 million tonnes were up by 760,000 from the same point the previous year. Monthly shipments in June of 685,862 tonnes were up by 10 per cent from the same month in 2022.

Meanwhile, shipments of western Canadian potash to date, at 297,115 tonnes, are down by 32 per cent on the year due to a slower start to the season, but the monthly shipments in June at 205,336 tonnes were well above the 157,145 tonnes moved in June 2022.

Canada is the world’s largest exporter of potash. Thunder Bay, the only export port on the St. Lawrence Seaway for potash, handles shipments moving to Europe, North Africa and South America.

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The grain exports were up by 33 per cent from September and up by eight per cent from October 2021, according to a news release.

The increase was seen as a return to more normal grain movement through the Lake Superior port, with Prairie crop production up substantially in 2022 after the drought in 2021 led to decreased shipments.

Total grain exports during the 2022 shipping season-to-date of 4.132 million tonnes are still well off the 5.431 million tonnes moved during the same time in 2021.

In contrast to grain cargoes, shipments of potash cargoes have been strong throughout the 2022 shipping season. As of Oct. 31, more than one million tonnes of the product have been transshipped at the port, the most in over 30 years and up from 413,402 tonnes by the same time the previous year.

Global supplies of potash, an important fertilizer input, have been strained by sanctions on product from Russia and Belarus, which comprise 32 per cent of global production capacity, the Port said in a news release.

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A total of 625,741 tonnes of grain were shipped during the month, marking the first time of the season that grain movement was up from the same month the previous year.

However, year-to-date grain exports of 1.73 million tonnes are still off by about a million tonnes from the same time in 2021 as the Prairie drought left fewer supplies to move.

“Stronger grain production predicted for this year will result in higher port shipments beginning this fall,” the port authority said in a statement, adding “global grain demand remains high while supplies are tight.”

Shipments of potash through Thunder Bay were strong in June, with total movement of 439,716 tonnes to-date more than double the potash movement by the end of June 2021.

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However, potash movement through the port is up considerably, with inbound shipments of general cargo also strong.

Grain shipments through the end of May, of about 1.13 million tonnes, were down by one million from the same time the previous year. The drought that cut into crop production in the Canadian Prairies in 2021 was cited as the main reason behind the reduction in grain movement.

Meanwhile, shipments of western Canadian potash have quadrupled compared to the same period last year. Terminals in Thunder Bay loaded out 280,000 tonnes of potash in less than two months; this is half of the port’s yearly average.

Canada is the world’s largest exporter of potash. Thunder Bay, the only export port on the Seaway for potash, handles shipments moving to Europe, North Africa and South America.

General cargo shipments were strong through the first two months of the season. Keefer Terminal handled over 10,000 tonnes of steel pipe and rail, in addition to a shipment of wind turbine tower sections. Keefer’s large laydown area is a unique port asset that helps attract western-bound general cargo to the Seaway-Thunder Bay route, said the release.

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The 2021 navigation season will come to a close with the MV Manitoulin carrying a shipment of wheat. Total grain movement during the season came in at 7.24 million tonnes, down 21 per cent on the year, but only slightly off the five-year average of 7.81 million tonnes.

Total cargo movement during the season, at 8.58 million tonnes, was down by 16 per cent from 2020 but only six per cent below the five-year average.

“Despite decreased grain shipments caused by weather conditions on the Prairies, the port experienced growth in most areas, demonstrating success in its diversification initiatives,” the port reported in a release.

Keefer Terminal cargo volumes doubled in 2021, with shipments of steel products and phosphate fertilizer making the most significant gains. The tonnage of cargo handled at the terminal was the highest in 20 years.

The port acknowledged its partnership with cargo operations partner Logistec Stevedoring as key to its success in growing business at Keefer.

“Success in transporting general cargo, particularly valuable dimensional pieces, depends on safe and secure handling. Reliability of the operation is critical,” port CEO Tim Heney said. “Thunder Bay has developed a reputation as a trustworthy Port, and this helps to generate new and repeat business.”

The increase in inbound shipments improves competitiveness of the system, enabling two-way cargo for vessels.

“We’re bringing more inbound cargoes every year. Matching these cargoes with export grain for saltwater vessels (salties) reduces the overall cost and environmental impact of shipping,” said Heney. “It also ensures a consistent volume of salties available in Thunder Bay for grain exports.”

Exports of Canadian-mined potash exceeded 600,000 tonnes for the first time since 2004. The commodity, used as fertilizer, ships primarily to Europe by saltie.

With a probable return to more favourable crop conditions on the Prairies, port officials were optimistic for a stronger shipping season in 2022.

Several large wind turbine shipments are due at Keefer Terminal in the summer, amidst another strong slate of steel and other general cargoes.

Further growth is anticipated in phosphate fertilizer shipments, which are imported for use by western Canadian grain farmers.

Four vessels have laid up in Thunder Bay for the winter and will undergo varying degrees of maintenance and repair.

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A 12,000-tonne shipment of feed wheat was delivered to Richardson’s Current River elevator from the company’s facility in Hamilton, Ont.

The wheat was said to be destined for Manitoba feedlots, where drought has cut into local feed supplies.

Thunder Bay elevators typically load out eight million tonnes of grain annually, but records of inbound shipments are non-existent, according to the report.

“Grain production analysts are predicting significant reductions in production on the Prairies due to extreme heat, drought and grasshopper damage,” port officials said, adding this will likely impact port tonnage through the second half of the season, when cargo volumes are “typically driven by harvesting activity.”

Total grain tonnage moved through Thunder Bay in August came in at 566,495 tonnes, marking a three-year low for the month.

Year-to-date shipments of just over four million tonnes were running about a million tonnes behind the 25-year high pace seen in 2021 but were in line with the previous average.

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