Photo: courtesy Port Saint John
Port Saint John is reporting its overall cargo tonnage for 2021 was 28,822,218 metric tonnes (MT), calling it an 11% increase over 2020.
In the container sector, both TEUs, (20-foot containers) and tonnage experienced year-over-year increases in 2021, with TEUs increasing to 86,949 (a 10% increase over 2020) and tonnage increasing to 617,312 MT (up 6% over the year previous).
It marks the fifth consecutive year of growth in the container sector for Port Saint John which has been helped by a trio of major developments over the past two years.
The continuation of the $205 million West Side Modernization Project which launched early in 2020 and due to be complete sometime next year, was considered a major factor in continued growth, according to the Port.
Port Saint John, Atlantic Canada’s largest port by tonnage, saw increases across several categories of its cargo base in 2021.
The launch of CP Rail’s East Coast Advantage strategy and rail services through acquisitions and improvements of the former CMQR line in Maine helped Port Saint John to solidify itself as the only Atlantic Canadian port with two Class I national rail providers, including CN Rail.
Hapag Lloyd is the latest container line at the Port after beginning operations there in 2021.
Hapag Lloyd’s involvement now totals three weekly services in operation at the Port by some of the world’s leading container lines, which also includes MSC, and CMA CGM.
“Last year was a strong year for cargo traffic at Port Saint and for our various operators and partners,” said Port Saint John President & CEO, Craig Bell Estabrooks in a released statement this week. “With the completion of the new, deeper pier on the West Side in early 2023, together we look forward to continued growth in the cargo sector,” Bell Estabrooks said.
Estabrooks maintains while 2021 was the second year without cruise ships at the Port, efforts were undertaken over the past two years across the industry to safely re-introduce cruise.
Estabrooks said in December that the Port is still working very closely with Transport Canada, the provincial government and municipalities on what a cruise restart might look like, noting hope for the season as the vast majority of cruise ships tend to visit Saint John in the late summer and early fall months, though safety remains the paramount concern.
Increases across several categories
The largest year-over-year increase reported by the Port came in dry bulk cargoes, which jumped by 123% to 1,907,875 MT.
The Port stated the increase in the dry bulk sector was driven primarily by two commodities: potash and recycled metals.
Potash at the Port experienced an increase from 619,203 MT in 2020 to 1,653,750 MT in 2021, while recycled metals experienced an increase from 174,471 MT in 2020 to 254,125 MT, last year.
The liquid bulk sector also experienced an increase of 7% year-over-year, driven primarily by increased exports of petroleum products.
Tyler McLean is a staff writer with Huddle, an Acadia Broadcasting content partner.
