Commercial Overview
The Port of Hamilton handles the largest volume of cargo and shipping traffic of all the Canadian Great Lakes ports. Annual tonnage has increased steadily since the establishment of The Hamilton Harbour Commissioners in 1912 -- the body charged with the responsibility for governance of the Port of Hamilton. That year, tonnage totaled 89,400 tonnes. Currently The Port of Hamilton averages volumes in excess of 12 million metric tonnes, ranking it among the top ten ports in Canada. The 700 vessels arriving annually berth at some 11,000 metres of dockwall available in the port. The Port of Hamilton is linked to two major Great Lakes shipping routes, the Welland Canal entrance sitting approximately 26 nautical miles from the Burlington Canal and the St. Lawrence River, approximately 151 nautical miles from the entrance into Hamilton Harbour.
The Burlington Canal is the gateway to a variety of international and domestic cargo into Hamilton, with ships transitting the Canal from around the world. The Port of Hamilton and its related activities result in a significant contribution to the economic vitality of this region. Vessels visiting the Port of Hamilton carry cargoes ranging from raw materials such as coal and iron ore (for use in the production of steel), salt and sand, grains and soybeans, liquid fertilizer and jet fuel. Many of these raw materials and commodities find their way into end use products in our daily lives.
Business development has become a major focus for the Hamilton Port Authority in recent years. This includes encouraging increased shipping activity, land development and property leasing. The Hamilton Port Authority is a financially self-sufficient organization, unlike many ports on the U.S. side of the Great Lakes. The current development focus centers on two areas of port lands with great potential for future business development, Eastport and Pier 15. Plans for Eastport include the development of new and expanded operations in commerce and transportation.
Work was also underway to find additional tenants for buildings and facilities at Pier 15, which the HPA would build and lease. This area is slated to become a high-end industrial business park.
For both sites, efforts were undertaken to seek out established companies with a track record of sound business and environmental practices, whose businesses were appropriate for location on port lands.
The port's Land Use Plan provides a detailed framework for harbour development.