Steel shipments add strength to port
The MV Onego Otra general cargo ship arrived at Keefer Terminal over the weekend with a shipment of steel rail imported from Europe. Chris Heikkinen, the Port of Thunder Bay chief executive officer, said Keefer Terminal has been increasingly handling different steel commodities in the last few years. This particular ship brought in a volume of 7,200 metric tons of steel railway sections for a client that operates in Western Canada," Heikkinen said, adding he could not share the client's name at this time. The steel rail is destined for the client's locations in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. "They used to use other shipping routes to bring their steel into the west but they took a chance on Thunder Bay within the last couple of years and they had a great experience," he said. "Now they're bringing all their steel rail through Keefer Terminal." Heikkinen added that the client is "really happy" with the port's handling of their commodity. "We have a very tailored customer service, which is one of our competitive advantages. So they're really happy with the service they get," he said. The steel rails are manufactured in Europe and loaded onto the vessel for a direct shipment across the Atlantic and through the St. Lawrence Seaway to Thunder Bay. Heikkinen noted that the port is also seeing a lot more steel pipe coming through as well, which he says is no longer unusual because of the diversity of incoming shipments over the years. Shipping statistics for April show 36-per cent more in cargo volume, compared to April of 2023. The recovery in grain volumes continues, after a two-season downturn in grain shipping due to poor harvests. The April report also shows the port has surpassed average export levels, reflecting an 11-per cent increase in grain shipments compared to the five-year average. Year-to-date grain exports have also seen a substantial rise of 25 per cent compared to last season. Meanwhile, Heikkinen says potash shipments in April were 4.4 times higher than the previous season. Keefer Terminal's stevedoring partner, Logistec, handled imports of phosphate fertilizer, which are stored on site destined for Western Canada. The port is experiencing increased vessel traffic in port compared to last spring. Since the opening of the 2024-2025 navigation season, five additional laker ships and nine additional foreign ocean vessels, often called salties, have arrived at the port.
Sandi Krasowski, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Chronicle-Journal
