Steel, cement and aggregate made up half of Toronto’s port volume in ‘21
Construction materials accounted for more than half of the nearly 2.3 million metric tonnes of volumed moved through the Port of Toronto in 2021, the port authority announced on February 23.
Construction materials including steel coils and rebar, cement and aggregate, accounted for more than 1.3 million metric tonnes of goods last year. That figure included 19- and 18-year highs, respectively, for the volume of cement cargo (734,000 metric tonnes) and steel imports (185,000 metric tonnes).
Aggregate tonnage more than doubled year-over-year, with 215,232 metric tonnes moving through the port to supply various land erosion projects led by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority.
In addition to importing 572,683 metric tonnes of sugar from Central and South America to support Toronto’s food and beverage industry, the port moved 583,425 metric tonnes of salt and saw 4,365 metric tonnes of container services tonnage – a 15-percent increase over 2020 for container services.
Overall, 190 cargo vessels visited the Port of Toronto in 2021, delivering a range of bulk, project and general cargo products totalling 2,295,815 metric tonnes – a four-percent increase from 2020.
“In 2021, the Port of Toronto continued to provide a reliable trade gateway for the transportation of goods to the Greater Toronto Area, connecting Toronto to marine ports around the world while much of our transportation sector experienced delays,” said Geoffrey Wilson, CEO of PortsToronto. “While the Port of Toronto will continue to play an essential role in our national supply chain in 2022, it will also play an important role supporting Toronto’s tourism sector as we anticipate hosting a record 37 cruise ships in 2022, including a number of new cruise ships designed for expedition cruising on the Great Lakes.”
In addition to the volume of good moved in the past year, the port also saw the arrival of three bridge spans from Nova Scotia via tug/barge for Waterfront Toronto’s Villiers Island project, and was critical in providing berthing for marine equipment working on the City of Toronto Ashbridge’s Bay Sewer Treatment Plant new outfall project.
This year, the port expects to host as many as 37 cruise ships, including a number of new cruise ships designed for expedition cruising on the Great Lakes. It also serves as a production hub for Toronto’s $2-billion film industry, hosting industry players such as Cinespace and Netflix.
PortsToronto estimates that the 2.2 million metric tonnes of cargo delivered by ship last year took approximately 57,000, 40-tonne trucks off Toronto's congested roads and highways.