CALGARY, ALBERTA, CANADA — Canadian Pacific (CP) surpassed its previous monthly grain movement record in April by transporting 2.8 million tonnes. The Canadian rail company broke the previous record set in November 2019 by 100,000 tonnes.
“CP’s family of professional railroaders continues to deliver for our customers and the economy during this extremely challenging COVID-19 period,” said Joan Hardy, vice president of sales and marketing grain and fertilizers for CP. “By working collaboratively with our customers from field to port, we have been able to find synergies and efficiencies to drive the grain supply chain forward. CP’s service excellence and best-in-class team have enabled us to move more grain steadily throughout this crop year, with an impressive surge in April as the Port of Thunder Bay opened for the spring shipping season.”
The new monthly record comes shortly after CP shattered its previous first-quarter grain movement record by transporting more than 6.35 million tonnes of grain and grain products in the first quarter of 2020. The new record exceeded the previous by 300,000 tonnes.
At 21.4 million tonnes of grain and grain products shipped crop year to date, CP has moved 51% of the grain and grain products originating by rail in Canada, 6% more grain this year than at the same point last year, and 8% more than the previous three-year average.
CP said it foresees strong grain shipping for the remainder of the 2019-20 crop year now that the Port of Thunder Bay has reopened.
“CP has been moving significant amounts of grain throughout the year and will continue to do so as farmers deliver the balance of last year’s crop and begin planting for the 2020-2021 crop year,” Hardy said. “CP is proud to be working in lockstep with the entire supply chain in delivering for North Americans and beyond.”