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Premier Congratulates Ports on Friendship Agreement

September 12, 2007

Prince Rupert – A friendship agreement signed between the Port of Ningbo, China, and the newly expanded Port of Prince Rupert builds on the promise of the Pacific Gateway, Premier Gordon Campbell said today at the opening of Prince Rupert’s new container terminal.

“We have partners investing in the future of Prince Rupert because they see the new opportunities and the value of its strategic location,” said Campbell. “The Fairview Container Terminal opens up a new high-speed, congestion-free trade corridor between Asia and North America.

“The friendship agreement between the two ports opens up an important relationship we also want to grow,” Campbell said. “Whether commercial, municipal, or cultural, these relationships are essential to our Asia-Pacific future.”

The $170-million terminal project, with a design capacity of 500,000 TEUs (20-foot equivalent units), has been funded by Maher Terminals, CN Rail, the Province of British Columbia, the Government of Canada, and the Prince Rupert Port Authority. Construction has been underway for two years, and was completed on time and on budget.

“The expanded and enhanced port brings Prince Rupert new potential and growth,” said Prince Rupert Mayor Herb Pond. “I look forward to the port’s friendship with Ningbo expanding into broader opportunities for the community as a whole.”

The agreement will see the two ports exchange economic and technical information, including information on development and construction, and they will promote the development of shipping opportunities between them.

“We look forward to exchanging valuable information with our new friends in Ningbo – information that will allow us both to grow and succeed over the coming years,” said Prince Rupert Port Authority president and CEO Don Krusel.

The Port of Ningbo is situated south of Shanghai across Hangzhou Bay, and is considered the best natural deep-water port in China. Ningbo has posted the highest growth rates in China since 1998, drawing increasing levels of foreign investment and shipping traffic.

In 2006, the Port of Ningbo reached a throughput capacity of seven million TEUs and handled more than 300 million tons of cargo. Ningbo Port has established trade relationships with more than 600 ports, including regular international container lines to Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Singapore, USA, and Europe.
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