Shipping season on the Great Lakes closed on January 8, and at the combined ports of Hamilton and Oshawa, HOPA Ports has reported a total tonnage for the season of 10.6 million metric tonnes.
A total of 571 vessels visited the Port of Hamilton during the season. While steelmaking and petroleum products were lower this year, strong showings in commodities like grain, fertilizer, finished steel, salt and gypsum have made up the balance. The port saw a final tonnage total of close to 10 million MT by season close, almost exactly on-par with 2019’s results.
2020 was also a record year for new infrastructure investments. At the Port of Hamilton, an ambitious capital investment program had HOPA Ports’ engineering team hard at work, with more than $21 million in projects underway, aimed at growing port capacity and improving efficiency. On Pier 15, Fluke Transportation is currently nearing completion of a 56,000 sq.ft expansion of a new warehouse facility, providing distribution for a variety of food products and consumer goods. The new facility is providing in-demand capacity for the region’s $1 billion food sector.
At nearby Piers 12 and 14, work is underway to modernize and expand the port terminal operated by Federal Marine Terminals (FMT). The new expansion includes rebuilding dock walls; construction of a new, 40,000 sq.ft warehouse; a new rail connection to Pier 15; resurfacing and upgrading of piers, roads, and environmental features.
“We are exceptionally pleased about our results in 2020 especially in light of the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic,” notes Ian Hamilton. “We’re proud of the role the HOPA Ports network has played in keeping Canada’s supply chains moving. We are grateful to our port partners who have come together in an unprecedented way to protect port workers, seafarers, and residents in our port cities.”