Vancouver port sees dip in tonnage, uptick in TEUs

Vancouver port sees dip in tonnage, uptick in TEUs The Vancouver Frazier Port Authority said containerized cargo volumes increased 4 percent during the first six months while tonnage was off 5 percent due to declines in shipments of chemicals, forest products, grain and metals.
   Port Metro Vancouver, the marketing name for the VFPA, handled nearly 1.23 million TEUs during the first half of the year, up from 1.17 million in the 2007 period. Loaded import containers increased 2 percent through June and loaded export containers jumped 11 percent.
   The port handled nearly 58.5 million tons of cargo in the first six months of 2008, down 5 percent from nearly 61.8 million tons reported in the first half of 2007.
   While auto tonnage and liquid bulk volumes improved 1 percent, breakbulk products were off nearly 1.8 million tons or 14 percent. Dry bulk was off 6 percent or 2.2 million tons.
   The most significant dry bulk drop was in the chemicals/metals/minerals category, off 26 percent.
   Cruise business faired little better, reporting a mid-year drop in passenger numbers of 9 percent and a 7 percent decline in vessel calls.