July 29, 2008

 

Canada's port of Churchill reports slow grain movement

   
  

Grain movement from Canada's Northern Port of Churchill is expected to be down during the 2008 shipping season from the level seen during 2007, said the Churchill Gateway Development Corporation and the Canadian Wheat Board.

 

The first ship of the season was expected to arrive on August 3, said Bill Drew, executive director of the Churchill Gateway Development Corporation said. The arrival is a bit later than normal and was related to the cost of booking ocean freight.

 

Maureen Fitzhenry, a spokeswoman with CWB media relations, confirmed that a vessel will arrive at the Port of Churchill on August 3 to load 46,000 tonnes of Canada Western Red Spring wheat destined for Sudan.

 

Drew estimated that total grain shipments through the northern port's short shipping season will be down from the year-ago level.

 

Tight old-crop supplies will reduce the amount of grain shipped through the northern port during 2008, Drew said, estimating grain shipments at around the 400,000- to 430,000-tonne level.

 

"There is a possibility that this level could increase, but it will be dependent on the crops in Western Canada and whether there will be an early harvest," Drew said.

 

Fitzhenry estimated that wheat and durum shipments in the 2008 shipping season from Churchill would be in the 400,000-tonne range. During the 2007 shipping season, 621,000 tonnes of grain was transported, which was the second- highest since 1977 when 729,000 tonnes was exported. The 10-year average grain movement through Churchill is 410,000 tonnes, she said.
   

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