Shipping season off to strong start

THUNDER BAY – An early start to the shipping season has seen the local port handling 20 per cent more cargo through April than the five-year average.

The Thunder Bay Port Authority had 850,000 metric tonnes of cargo pass through the port from the arrival of the first ship on March 26 through the end of April, according to statistics released on Tuesday.

This year represents an 11 per cent increase compared to last year, when the shipping season opened on April 10.

More than 816,000 metric tonnes of grain were shipped during the opening weeks of the season, which is 16 per cent more than the year before.

In the first month of the season 32 lakers and seven salties called the port, compared to 27 and 6 respectively last year.

This is the first time in three years the port was able to open prior to April due to lack of ice cover on the Great Lakes.