Volumes of both container imports and exports at Canada’s
largest seaport rose in February 2013 compared to the same month last year,
resulting in a nine percent increase in total volumes and continuing a trend of
increased cargo movement.
A total of 447,856 20-foot equivalent units were shipped
through Port Metro Vancouver last month, a 9.1 percent increase from the about
410,300 that were moved during the same month in 2012.
Full imports – about 239,700 TEUs – constituted the majority
of the containers. The amount was a 12.3 percent leap over the 213,500 TEUs of
February 2012. Full imports during the month rose just 0.8 percent however,
going from 161,789 in February 2012 to about 163,000 last month. Overall, full
TEU imports and exports rose a combined 7.3 percent compared with the same time
period last year.
The port saw a huge month-over-month gain in the number of
empty TEUs exported, however. The 27,000 that were sent overseas represented a
nearly 44 percent increase from the same month last year. Empty imports were
also saw double-digit increases: the 18,000 moved was an 11.4 percent rise from
February 2012’s 16,200.
Overall, Metro Vancouver terminals saw nearly 29 percent
more empty TEUs last month than in February 2012, according to port data.
