Thunder Bay port has strong April

The port of Thunder Bay, Ont., was a busy place in April.

The Thunder Bay Port Authority is reporting across-the-board increases in cargo shipments in April 2017 when compared with the same month last year.

In total, about 831,000 metric tonnes of cargo (coal, grain, potash, dry and liquid bulk, and general cargo) came through the port in April 2017.

In April 2016, just over 703,000 metric tonnes of cargo were handled in Thunder Bay.

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"It was a strong month, for sure," port authority CEO Tim Heney said. "The trend's continuing from the last three years of strong shipments through the port, particularly on the grain side."

As of April 30, the port's year-to-date cargo volumes are about 25 per cent above the 10-year average, the port authority said in a media release.

So far this year, more than one million metric tonnes of cargo have come through the port since the 2017 season opened on March 24.

That's up by about 225,000 metric tonnes over the same period last year.

Vessel numbers, too, are up, with 48 calling in Thunder Bay between March 24 and the end of April this year.

During the same period last year, 40 vessels had stopped in the city.