The newly renovated terminal can now handle in excess of 6 million tonnes annually.
"Our goal through this project was to create a highly efficient port terminal in Canada with unprecedented capability for processing a diverse range of commodities," said Kyle Jeworski, Viterra's president and chief executive officer. "Our significant investment, which exceeded $100 million, will enhance our strategic position on the west coast, as well as our ability to connect the production of our farm customers with our destination customers globally."
The newly renovated terminal can now handle in excess of 6 million tonnes annually. This is three times the handling capacity it previously had. It also allows for the loading of post-Panamax vessels, the largest vessels capable of navigating through the recently expanded Panama Canal.
"This added capacity is basically equivalent to adding two additional port facilities in Vancouver," Jeworski said. "And while this extra capacity is important for our industry, we have also created further efficiencies by improving our current handling and processing procedures."
The majority of the company's focus at Pacific will be on pulse crops, with the upgrades supporting the efficient handling of delicate products. This involves the use of a fully enclosed system with soft handling of products direct to the vessel.
"These upgrades coincide well with work we've been doing in other parts of our asset network, such as our new pulse cleaning facility in Tempest, Alberta, allowing us to capture the increasing demand for pulse and specialty grain products from customers worldwide," Jeworski said.
In addition to the new ship loader, other improvements include the installation of new bulk weighers, upgrades to shipping conveyors and rotary cleaners, and improved electrical and dust control systems.
The port reopening comes after a series of facility openings by Viterra in Canada.
The company opened its new high throughput grain terminal at Ste. Agathe, Manitoba on Oct. 20. The new facility has 30,000 tonnes of grain storage and a 134-railcar loading capacity, including a loop track with access to CN and BNSF rail lines.
The Tempest pulse facility, which officially opened on June 27, supports a focus on pulse cleaning. This includes a new building capable of cleaning, storing and shipping pulse crops, as well as the cleaning and conveyor equipment to handle pulses and prepare them for export.
The Kindersley facility, a grain terminal, has 28,000 tonnes of grain storage and 108-railcar loading capacity. It is the sixth elevator the company has operated in Kindersley since building its first elevator there in 1934.
The Grimshaw facility, a grain terminal, has 30,000 tonnes of grain storage and 104-railcar loading capacity. It is the company's second new build in the region in recent years, having opened a terminal at Sexsmith in 2010.
The company also recently announced it will build another grain terminal in Wadena, Saskatchewan, Canada. The facility will have 34,000 tonnes of storage capacity and will be able to load up to 156 railcars through a loop track.
Viterra, an agricultural business of Glencore Plc, focuses on handling, processing, distributing and transporting grains and oilseeds around the world.
