Adverse weather at Canada’s West Coast is causing a backup of vessels waiting to load grain, according to the latest weekly Grain Monitoring Program performance update compiled by Quorum Corp.
A total of 30 ships were waiting in Vancouver as of Sunday, which compares with the year-to-date average of 22, according to the report.
A recent Canadian Industrial Relations Board arbitration ruling contributed to the slowdown, as the decision has effectively stopped the loading of grain ships during adverse weather until new safety measures are implemented.
Weekly railcar unloads in Vancouver of 4,023 cars were down 16 per cent from the four-week average.
However, Prince Rupert unloads of 1,664 cars were up 30 per cent from the four-week average.
Total stocks at western port terminals increased to 1.3 million tonnes, which represents 76 per cent of working capacity.
In the countryside, stocks in country elevators of four million tonnes were up by about 120,000 tonnes from the previous week, representing 84 per cent of capacity. — Commodity News Service Canada
