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  November 7th, 2016 | Written by

Viterra Hosts Grand Reopening of Pacific Terminal at Port of Vancouver

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  • Viterra's investment at Pacific Terminal includes a new ship loader.
  • Enhancements at Pacific Terminal enables handling three times its previous capacity.
  • Added capacity at Pacific Terminal is equivalent to adding two additional port facilities in Vancouver.

Viterra Inc. hosted an official grand reopening event at its Pacific Terminal at the Port of Vancouver. The event recognized the successful completion of Viterra’s $100 million investment at the terminal, including a new ship loader and other state of the art enhancements. Viterra customers, employees and industry officials gathered to commemorate the company’s investment.

The enhancements at Pacific Terminal will create the ability to handle in excess of six million metric tons annually. This is three times the handling capacity it previously had. It also allows for the loading of neopanamax vessels, the largest vessels capable of navigating through the recently expanded Panama Canal.

“Our goal through this project was to create a highly efficient port terminal in Canada with unprecedented capability for processing a diverse range of commodities,” said Kyle Jeworski, Viterra’s President and CEO. “Our significant investment, which exceeded $100 million, will enhance our strategic position on the west coast, as well as our ability to connect the production of our farm customers with our destination customers globally.”

The majority of the company’s focus at Pacific Terminal will be on pulse crops, with the upgrades supporting the efficient handling of delicate products. This involves the use of a fully enclosed system with soft handling of products direct to the vessel.

“This added capacity is basically equivalent to adding two additional port facilities in Vancouver,” Jeworski added. “And while this extra capacity is important for our industry, we have also created further efficiencies by improving our current handling and processing procedures. These upgrades coincide well with work we’ve been doing in other parts of our asset network, such as our new pulse cleaning facility in Tempest, Alberta, allowing us to capture the increasing demand for pulse and specialty grain products from customers worldwide.”

In addition to the new ship loader, other improvements include the installation of new bulk weighers, upgrades to shipping conveyors and rotary cleaners, and improved electrical and dust control systems.