Newsroom
2006
Churchill shipping season ends with strong joint effort
Winnipeg -- A successful season has ended for shipping wheat through the Port of Churchill thanks to a strong late-season effort by all industry players, including the CWB, the Hudson Bay Port Corporation and its workers in the town of Churchill.
"A lot of grain had to be loaded within a very tight timeframe, and that could not have been possible without the hard work of many people in Churchill,"CWB president and CEO Adrian Measner said. "Working closely together, we were able to mark 2006 as another successful season through this important port."
The CWB shipped a total of 384 000 tonnes of wheat and durum through Churchill this year, up from 353 000 last year and 361 000 in 2004. CWB shipments this year were almost 80 per cent of the total traffic exported through Churchill. The annual average of CWB grain through the port is 364 000, with more than four million tonnes shipped in the past decade.
Michael Ogborn, managing director of OmniTRAX Inc, which owns the port facilities and rail line, said it is clear that all partners are committed to ensuring the Port of Churchill stays viable. "We have repeatedly shown that this port operation is more than capable of efficiently handling grain and other cargos. It has a very bright future, provided our core wheat traffic remains strong."
Churchill mayor Michael Spence said the town has pushed hard to ensure the port remains as a major source of employment and economic activity, as well as a supply centre for much of Canada's north. "Without the port, which is dependent on CWB shipments, this town and other northern communities that rely on the rail line would be in dire straits,"he said.
Wheat and durum shipments through Churchill in 2006, loaded on 12 vessels, were destined for customers in Mexico, Europe and Africa. The last ship departed on Nov. 2 with 44 000 tonnes to Sudan.
During October, high winds and rain hampered loading for a few days. Workers in Churchill were on the job around the clock during the last weeks to complete loading before the season ended, according to schedules set by the Canadian Coast Guard. Beyond these dates, vessels have difficulty securing insurance coverage.
Extra labour was recruited from the town, while the Canadian Grain Commission assigned additional grain inspectors. The railways (Hudson Bay Railway, CN Rail and CP Rail) made efforts to ensure grain reached Churchill on time to facilitate loading.
Measner said the port makes good economic sense for western Canadian farmers who market their grain through the CWB. "Churchill is an important alternative that the CWB is able to use to keep shipping costs competitive."
As a northern port, the Churchill shipping route is ice-free for five months a year. Its shipping season typically begins in July and runs into November. Transportation to the port is carried out over 1,400 kilometeres of rail linking Churchill to farmers in Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
Controlled by western Canadian farmers, the CWB is the largest wheat and barley marketer in the world. One of Canada's biggest exporters, the Winnipeg-based organization sells grain to more than 70 countries. It returns all sales revenue, less marketing costs, to Prairie farmers.
For more information, please contact:
Maureen Fitzhenry,
CWB media relations manager
Tel: (204)-983-3101
Cell: (204)-479-2451