Port News

April 3, 2018

The Windsor Port Authority Board is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Steven  C. Salmons as the incoming President and CEO of the Port effective May 1, 2018. Mr. Salmons will assume responsibilities following the retirement of David Cree, CEO of the Port for the past 33 years. George Sandala, Board Chair, notes that Mr. Salmons’ demonstrated leaderships skills and accomplishments throughout his career ensures the continued success Port of Windsor has experienced under the leadership of David Cree.

Mr. Salmons is a graduate of the University of Windsor having achieved a BA in Psychology, an Honours BComm in Labour Relations, and an MBA in Strategic Studies.  He has over 25 years in senior executive and advisory leaderships roles. As former CEO of the Windsor Public Library, Mr. Salmons led the team to become Canada’s most award winning library, achieving not only national awards of excellence, but also a North American first for service innovation. He has served as General Manager, Community Services for the City of Windsor and Senior Policy Advisor in various Provincial Government Departments, notably the Government’s No.1 economic priority – the Windsor Border initiative. As Director of Community and Development Services for the Town of Lakeshore, besides a number of strategic accomplishments to ensure implementation of Council’s agenda, Mr. Salmons identified and negotiated property acquisitions that created the largest beachfront on the north shore of Essex County and was also instrumental in the development of the $62.0 míllion Atlas Tube Centre and Recreation Complex.

Recently the Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport, announced a review of Canada Port Authorities to optimize their role in the transportation system as strategic assets that support inclusive and sustainable growth and trade. “The Canadian Port Authority system needs to be re-examined to ensure Canada is always well positioned to innovate and compete for years to come.”  ln view of Minister Garneau’s announcement, George Sandala has indicated Mr. Salmons’ extensive diverse experience and knowledge will certainly add value to his contribution as CEO of Windsor Port Authority to Transport Canada, identifying potential policy, legislative and regulatory changes to help Canada Port Authorities consolidate their position as key players in the Canadian economy.

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For further information and inquiries, please contact

David Cree, President & CEO

519-258-5741

wpa@portwindsor.com

Press Release

February 6, 2018

Port Traffic Rebounds in 2017

After unexpected declines in the 2016 season, the port rebounded nicely in 2017 with total cargo handled at all the port’s facilities increasing by almost 7%.  The most significant gain was realized at the K+S Windsor Salt Company with shipments increasing by 20% to almost 2.2 million tonnes.  Also having a very positive season was the ADM Agri-Industries which experienced an increase of just over 6% in total grain products moved through the facility.

David Cree, President and CEO of the Windsor Port Authority, stated, “All in all 2017 was a very positive season.  Our two major commodities have traditionally been salt and construction aggregates, and that continued this past year.  As noted, salt shipments were up significantly while construction aggregates recorded a minor decline to just over 1.6 million tonnes”.

Of the other cargoes handled within the port, petroleum products which are handled through the Sterling Fuels facility dropped by 4.2% to 256,924 tonnes and general cargo which is handled at Morterm Terminal and consists primarily of imported steel declined by just over 7%.

Other important milestones during 2017 included near completion of the green space and fishing pier at the end of Mill Street and the beginning of public consultations for the development of the green space on Sandwich Street which is adjacent to the Port Authority offices.

In conclusion, Mr. Cree stated “We were very pleased with the final results for 2017 and with the scheduled start of construction of the new Gordie Howe International Bridge slated for later this year, we are projecting moderate growth in 2018 and continued growth for four to five years thereafter”.

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For further information and inquiries, please contact

David Cree, President & CEO

519-258-5741

wpa@portwindsor.com

Cargo business at Windsor’s ports is already up substantially this year with a few weeks to go, according to figures released on Thursday.

Volumes at the port to the end of November are up 10 per cent.

The biggest movers this year have been salt, general cargo and Ontario grain, but the port has seen increases in all types of cargo, said David Cree, president and CEO of the Windsor Port Authority.

“Everything’s up and that’s a reflection of the buoyant Windsor economy,” he said.

“Many of the materials moving through the port are destined for local construction and manufacturing.”

For a second straight year, grain is up “significantly” with huge volumes of canola, soybeans and other grains coming into the ADM terminal to be processed for domestic food, plus export overseas, Cree said.

“We’re also expecting a fair amount of stone to come in December for some additional work scheduled on the truck plaza for the Gordie Howe International Bridge,” he said.

Overall, St. Lawrence Seaway cargo volumes are expected to finish ahead of 2016 with a total cargo tonnage from March 20 to Nov. 30 reaching 33.6 million metric tons — up 8.5 per cent compared to the same period in 2016.

Please click here for complete Windsor Star article.

Bad winters usually translate into good business for the Port of Windsor, and a big spike in 2017 sales of its No. 1 export — salt — is helping make this year one of its best ever.

“We’re having a terrific year so far — shipping is up about 20 per cent till the end of September,” said David Cree, president and CEO of the Windsor Port Authority.

Windsorites enjoyed a relatively mild 2016-17 winter, but many of the other K+S Windsor Salt Ltd. clients endured a harsher-than-usual season, resulting in higher-than-normal road salt demand. Cree said Port of Windsor salt exports as of Sept. 30 were up more than 30 per cent over the same period in 2016.

Gravel and other construction aggregates, the local port’s No. 2 shipped product, was up more than eight per cent; grain, in third spot, was up 28 per cent and “general cargo” — primarily steel — shot up 27 per cent, indicating a healthy economy with lots of construction.

This year’s shipping volumes will probably not match those of the 2015 record year, but Cree said the last five years have been “very good” and 2017 so far is ahead of projections.

Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway cargo shipments as a whole are up 14 per cent over 2016 volumes as of the end of September, the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation reported Tuesday. The total of 24.3 million metric tons in cargo shipped from March 20 to Sept. 30 represents a three million tonne jump from the same period in 2016.

Tuesday was Marine Day on the Hill, when the Chamber of Marine Commerce and shipping executives and their customers meet with Canadian federal government representatives. Despite the high cargo volumes carried by ships in the Great Lakes, Cree said there is still “lots of room to grow … without any additional infrastructure requirements.”

The Port of Windsor’s 13 terminals are, on average, under 60 per cent capacity, he said.

With “tremendous potential to grow,” Chamber of Marine Commerce president Bruce Burrows told officials that government needed to recognize “marine shipping’s significant environmental and economic benefits in its approach to transportation planning and policy-making.”

From the beginning of the 2017 shipping season to the end of September, about 70 freighters picked up 1.5 million tonnes of salt in Windsor, said Cree. During that period, 494 cargo ships stopped in the Port of Windsor (compared to 466 in 2016), loading or unloading about 3.8 million tonnes of cargo.

Weather, market demand and maintenance schedules usually mean Windsor sees its last freighter stops of the year by about mid-December, said Cree.

Click here for complete Windsor Star article.