Cargo poured directly into the hold of a ship
Have you ever filled up a bag from the grocery store bulk aisle? Port Metro Vancouver handles its bulk in a similar way, but on a much, much, bigger scale.
Movement of bulk accounts for the majority of activity at the Port. More that 20 terminals handle everything from coal, grain, sulphur and potash to woodchips.
Coal
- Arrives from Alberta and pockets of BC
- Exported to countries like China, South Korea & Brazil
- Heats very hot and is used in the manufacturing of automobiles
- Export more than 30 million metric tonnes annually
Grain
- Arrives from our Prairie Provinces (Alberta, Manitoba & Saskatchewan)
- Exported to countries like China, India & Japan
- Used in food products (bread, pasta, muffins etc.)
- Export more than 15 million metric tonnes annually
Potash
- Arrives from Saskatchewan
- Exported to countries like China, India, Indonesia
- Used predominately in fertilizer
- Export more than 7 million metric tonnes annually
- Saskatchewan has the largest supply of potash in the world
Sulphur
- Arrives from Alberta
- Exported to countries like China, Australia & South Africa
- Has more than 500 different uses including medicine, matches, tires, soap and its main use, fertilizer
- Export nearly 4 million metric tonnes annually
Port Metro Vancouver also handles liquid bulk including: petroleum, jet fuel and ethylene glycol.