VANCOUVER, (July 29, 2004) — The Vancouver Port Authority says it has bounced back from a paralyzing tug and barge strike earlier this year, with a new mid-year record in the shipment of containers.

The company announced in a press release that overall tonnage through the Port of Vancouver staged a dramatic comeback during the first six months of the year with total tonnage surging 16 per cent to 36.5 million tonnes.

Mid year statistics include:

Total container shipments increased seven per cent from 756,879 TEUs to a new record 809,456 TEUs. Full containerized import volumes grew seven per cent to 373,115 TEUs, while full containerized export volumes grew 16 per cent to 350,686 TEUs.

Grain shipments jumped 81 per cent to 4.1 million tonnes, with wheat rising 133 per cent to 2.5 million tonnes; potash increased 23 per cent to 3.1 million tonnes.

Total dry bulk shipments increased 18 per cent to 24.4 million tonnes; while coal — the Port of Vancouver’s single largest commodity, rose 6 per cent to 12.3 million tonnes.

Sulphur increased 14 per cent to 3.2 million tonnes; liquid bulk shipments through the port rose 11 per cent to 3.5 million tonnes; and petroleum products increased 13.3 per cent to 1.6 million tonnes.

Shipments of forest products increased 11 per cent to 4.2 million tonnes; lumber shipments increased 29 per cent to 1.2 million tonnes, while wood pulp shipments climbed 7 per cent to 2.2 million tonnes.

The Port of Vancouver is Canada’s largest and most diversified port, trading $29 billion in goods with more than 90 trading economies each year.