During the first quarter of 2008, the Port of Montreal reported the highest growth, irrespective of shipping lanes, in comparison to both the ports of Vancouver and Halifax and to ports on the US East Coast, according to American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) statistics.
The Port of Montreal posted a 7.9% upswing in the first quarter. The Port of Savannah posted the second-best performance, at 6.8%, while four of the Port’s seven main competitors posted declines, says the port authority.
The Port of Montreal pointed out it also achieved a remarkable performance level in its main market, the North Atlantic (Northern Europe and the Mediterranean) in the first quarter of 2008, according to the PIERS database. Only the Port of Savannah achieved higher growth than the Port of Montreal, said the port. “It should, however, be noted that the number of TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent unit) handled in Montreal was 2.3 times higher than that of Savannah in the first quarter.”
“This growth confirms that the Port of Montreal was able to make the most of the structural advantages it enjoys, namely its location in the very heart of the continent, its direct link to two international railway companies, and its geographical position guaranteeing it the shortest routes between Europe and North America,” stated Patrice M. Pelletier, president and CEO of the Montreal Port Authority. “It is through a very pro-active partnership with its commercial and operating partners that this success has been achieved,” Pelletier.added.
| Container Traffic | ||||
| Performance of the Port of Montreal | ||||
| First six months of 2008, | ||||
| 2008 | 2007 | Variation | ||
| In full and empty TEUs | In % | |||
| Canadian ports | ||||
| Halifax | 203,910 | 243,600 | - 16.3% | |
| Montréal | 725,283 | 672,265 | + 7.9% | |
| Vancouver | 1,223,389 | 1,173,115 | + 4.3% | |
| American ports | ||||
| Boston | 99,698 | 101,191 | - 1.5% | |
| Charleston (1) | 704,511 | 750,385 | - 6.1% | |
| Hampton Road | 1,035,975 | 1,019,980 | + 1.6% | |
| NY-NJ | 2,493,749 | 2,569,700 | - 3.0% | |
| Savannah | 1,298,452 | 1,215,230 | + 6.8% | |
Note: (1) For the first 5 months only.
Source: AAPA
