Prince Rupert Grain Shipments Fall by One-Third

Prince Rupert grain shipments fell by one-third in 2021, undermined by Prairie drought that slashed the production of most grains by roughly the same amount.

A release this week from the Prince Rupert Port Authority showed terminal grain exports for this past year at 3.55 million tonnes, well down from 5.27 million in 2020. The release attributed the year-over-year decline to a “poor crop year in the Canadian agricultural sector.”

Grain shipments through the St. Lawrence Seaway also suffered because of the decline in crop production. The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC) said in a release Wednesday that grain volume in 2021 was down almost 20% to 10.6 million tonnes.

Total Prince Rupert cargo volumes amounted to just over 25 million tonnes in 2021, a drop of 23% compared to a year earlier. The shortfall was largely attributed to “intermodal supply chain disruptions, industry-specific issues, and a competitive West Coast market.”

Prince Rupert Grain owns and operates Canada’s largest grain terminal on the West Coast, handling primarily wheat, barley, and canola from the prairies. The facility has an annual export capacity in excess of seven million tonnes, offering the highest throughput rate of any grain terminal in Canada. Opened in 1985, the terminal was built to improve Canada’s ability to export grain and oilseeds.