First container ship visit at Duke Point could point the way to the port's future

A trial run for container ships at the Nanaimo Port Authority’s Duke Point Terminal went off without a hitch.

The NPA’s Doug Peterson says the MV Westwood Pacific docked for the day on Tuesday, unloaded some empty containers and then loaded up with cargo bound for Asia.

 

The NPA recently got $4.5-million for improvements at Duke Point from the federal government through its Asia Pacific Gateway initiative.

Peterson says a second ship from Westwood will be stopping in Nanaimo next month and after that the company will decide if they want to continue using Duke Point as a port of call. He says the NPA is hopeful Nanaimo will become the main hub for importers and exporters moving goods between Vancouver Island and major Asian ports.