PORT ALBERNI 鈥� Shipping activity increased sharply at the Port Alberni Port Authority in 2013.
According to data from the port authority, there was an increase of 177,284.5 tonnes of forest product shipped out of Port Alberni in 2013 over 2012, 964,162 compared with 787,877.5.
While raw-log shipments saw an increase of 18.2 per cent, the amount of lumber being shipped increased by 100.4 per cent.
鈥淚 can say that our lumber shipments out of Port Alberni increased significantly in 2013 over 2012,鈥� said Western Forest Products vice-president of human resources Mike Cass.
In 2012, there were 746,993 tonnes of logs shipped out of the port authority, compared with 883,211 tonnes in 2013.
Lumber shipments totalled 81,950 tonnes at the Valley鈥檚 port in 2013, more than double the amount that was shipped in 2013, which totalled 40,884.2 tonnes.
PAPA director of public relations and business development David McCormick said shipping is the core of the port鈥檚 business.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 our heart,鈥� he said. For the port authority, the increased activity means a stable revenue source that ensures it remains a sustainable shipping port.
McCormick said that means jobs for the port鈥檚 existing staff, 鈥渁nd of course all of the businesses that are supported by those business and labour forces.鈥�
