Rio Tinto and LNG Canada officially opened their new extended wharf during a press conference in Kitimat today.
Built at the site of its existing Terminal A facility, the new wharf both expands the capacity for port facilities in Kitimat and helps to support economic diversification in the North.
Initially the terminal was leased by Rio Tinto to LNG Canada for exporting liquefied natural gas back in 2018.
Rio Tinto will use the newly renovated facility to import aluminum, anodes, and supplies, and for exports of low-carbon aluminum made at its BC Works smelter.
The upgrades will help to produce more reasonably priced Canadian resources, and allow larger vessels of up to 250 m in length to dock at the terminal.
Further technological upgrades make the terminal safer, and easier to work at, while adding storage and connecting the terminal to their rail network.
Rio Tinto Terminal Berth 2, as it is being referred to, saw its first ship berthed on Monday.
Peter Zebedee, LNG Canada’s CEO, says that further improvements are still to come at the facility.
