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The government of Canada recently approved the Prince Rupert Port Authority’s environmental plan for converting the Fairview Terminal into a high-capacity container-handling facility. The Prince Rupert, British Columbia, port, which is served by Canadian National Railway Co., now will begin building the $160 million facility.

The authority has contracted joint venture Fraser River Pile & Dredge/Western Industrial Contractors to build the wharf, which will accommodate three large container cranes. The $110 million project includes extending the dock face into deep water and building a long berth. Western Industrial Contractors will construct a new deck and structure for the cranes’ rails; Fraser River Pile & Dredge will complete pile driving and related marine work.

“This is a significant first step in the construction program,” said authority President and Chief Executive Officer Don Krusel in a prepared statement. “The terminal is expected to be operational in the third quarter of 2007.”

The federal and provincial governments each are providing $30 million for the facility, which initially will handle 500,000 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) annually and eventually be expanded to handle 2 million TEUs. CN is contributing $15 million for an intermodal yard at the port, $10 million for terminal trackage and $5 million for infrastructure improvements to its B.C. North Line to accommodate double-stack container trains. Terminal operator Maher Terminals will invest up to $60 million in terminal operating equipment, including the three container cranes.