The Port of Portland, already the largest gateway on the US
West Coast for bulk mineral exports, is expected to become even more
diversified thanks to a new expansion of the Canpotex Ltd. potash export
facility at the port’s marine Terminal 5 in the Rivergate Industrial District.
The Port of Portland Commission on Oct. 8 approved plans for
Canpotex, through its Portland Bulk Terminals subsidiary, to invest up to $140
million in new equipment and infrastructure to improve the efficiency of its shiploading
operations and the management of Canpotex’s specialty white potash products.
“Canpotex has been a great tenant for nearly two decades,
and we are excited that this world-class shipper’s roots in Portland are
growing even deeper with this expansion,” Port of Portland Executive Director
Bill Wyatt said.
A new shiploader, improved control system technology and an
upgraded conveyance system is expected to enable shorter turnaround times for
Canpotex trains and ships, while a new storage building is expected to allow
the potash exporter to better manage its specialty grade products at the
terminal.
“This investment ... improves the speed and quality of our
operations at the terminal,” Steve Dechka, Canpotex’s president and chief
executive officer, said. “But it’s not just our company that benefits; we are
doing our part to try to build efficiency into the transportation system in the
Pacific Northwest corridor.”
Canpotex is a joint venture among three Province of
Saskatchewan, Canada potash producers: Agrium, Mosaic and PotashCorp. In
addition to Portland Bulk Terminals, Canpotex has operations at Neptune
Terminal in Vancouver, British Columbia.
More than two million metric tons of Saskatchewan potash,
which is a mineral nutrient used in fertilizer applications, is exported
through Portland annually to international markets including Australia, Brazil,
China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.
Canpotex says that as a result of a long-term lease
extension, it expects to incrementally increase its tonnage in the coming
years.
