Port Metro Vancouver has released their annual statistics for 2011 and its more good news for Canada’s Pacific Gateway and more jobs for B.C.

“I would like to congratulate Port Metro Vancouver for its continued growth and success,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Blair Lekstrom. “PMV is a vital part of Canada Starts Here: The BC Jobs Plan. PMV is a key player in getting B.C. and Canadian goods to market through Canada’s Pacific Gateway - the preferred gateway for business to and from Asia and North America.”

Some highlights are:

• Total foreign tonnage at Port Metro Vancouver was up 2.5 per cent increase to 95.6 million tonnes.
• Bulk volumes set records with dry bulk cargoes like coal up 7.8 per cent overall
• Thermal coal exports rose 46 per cent to a record 11.7 million metric tonnes 
• Potash increased 30 per cent to a new record of 7.2 million metric tonnes.

Container traffic grew to 122.5 million tonnes of cargo, a 3.4 per cent increase over the record set in 2010.

Under “Canada Starts Here: The BC Jobs Plan”, B.C. is strengthening our infrastructure to get our goods to market and expanding markets for B.C. products and services, particularly in Asia.
Canada’s Pacific Gateway is geographically positioned to make it the preferred “gateway” to the growing Asia-Pacific region.

British Columbia’s ports in Vancouver and in Prince Rupert are Asia’s closest ports of entry on the west coast of North America, up to 58 hours closer than the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

Port Metro Vancouver trades $75 billion in goods annually with more than 160 trading economies, generating across Canada an estimated 129,500 jobs, $6.1 billion in wages, and $10.5 billion in GDP.

Learn more:

Port Metro Vancouver annual statistics for 2011 (portmetrovancouver.com)

UPDATE NOTE: As part of its BC Jobs Plan (bcjobsplan.ca) , on April 2, 2012, the Province released The Pacific Gateway Transportation Strategy: 2012-2020 (bcjobsplan.ca) . They are also seeking public input on this related question: “How can Vancouver become a globally recognized maritime centre of excellence, by 2020?” (engage.bcjobsplan.ca) Join the conversation and share your ideas.