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“We’re taking a longer-term view of changes in cropping
patterns in Western Canada,” said president and CEO
Kyle Jeworski. “It’s important that we ensure we’ve got the
infrastructure to stay ahead of those production growths.”
Jeworski added that the proposed $100-million-plus
modernization project will enhance processing procedures.
Though its Pacific terminal in Vancouver can move wheat,
Jeworski said specializing between port facilities drives
efficiency. Viterra is currently committed to moving pulses,
including red lentils and yellow and green peas, through its
Pacific terminal.
“It’s important to understand the complexity of all the
different products that are handled on a daily basis, which
requires a tremendous amount of co-ordination between our
inland country assets and our port facilities,” he said.
Viterra also ships barley through its West Coast port facilities
in Vancouver and Prince Rupert, and wheat through all of its
port facilities.
Mindful of shifting farmer demands and evolving crop
patterns, Viterra’s system upgrades include two new high-
throughput inland grain-handling facilities at Kindersley, SK,
and Grimshaw, AB.
With Viterra shipping multiple grades of multiple products,
Jeworski said it’s also critical to maximize efficiency through
seamless co-operation with CP Rail, the company’s main carrier.
“We need to be in tune with changes in the rail system—
that’s larger train sizes and faster loading speed. How do we
continue to support efficient movement of commodities from
inland to port?”
Richardson International is similarly doubling the size and
capacity of its North Vancouver terminal. This grain handler
moves the largest volume, which includes barley, lentils, canola,
peas and all classes of wheat, turning over its terminal capacity
53 times a year.
“The drive is to have just-in-time inventory to facilitate the
quick loading of vessels,” said Phil Hulina, regional manager in
charge of the facility, adding that Richardson will handle “pretty
much every commodity grown in Western Canada.”
Hulina explained that his company and its fellow handlers
struggle with the movement of grain and push for better fluidity
more in sync with vessels.
“We were all challenged this year, though we are operating
at a record pace,” he said. “We are getting a lot of commodity
delivered to us.
“It’s a very exciting time,” he added. “We’re going to see
increased harvests, so there are going to be more opportunities
for sales offshore.”
In addition to pushing its capacity, Richardson also has a 25
per cent stake in Cascadia, Viterra’s main shipping terminal,
and will also acquire a Viterra terminal in Thunder Bay to bolster
operations in Eastern Canada.
Echoing Jeworski and Hulina, Mills said planning for the future
is a constant as PMV grows and evolves to maximize benefits to
users, including economies of scale. Because it encompasses
so much activity, competition is present within the supply chain
and its supporting services. Shipping companies compete, as
do the three key rail lines that service the port, tug operators,
fuel suppliers, ship husbandry services and more.
“Other jurisdictions often are much more expensive
because they don’t have to compete for that business,”
explained Mills. “Here, they do. So, it’s a benefit to move
goods through this gateway.”
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2014
grains
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COMMAND CENTRAL:
Workers at the Viterra terminal work closely with
Canadian Pacific Railway in order to maximize e ciency when shipping
multiple grades of various products.