Vancouver Fraser Port Authority statistics show Port of Vancouver sulphur at 2,787,073 tonnes in 2022, up 22 percent from 2.29 million tonnes in 2021. Fertilizer cargo rose 13 percent to 12.8 million metric tonnes, with potash 10.0 million. The solid-sulfur rebound tracked the first-half price spike and Alberta de-blocking into Vancouver. The statistics overview is at https://www.portvancouver.com/sites/default/files/2024-08/Statistics-overview-2021-to-2023.pdf.
Argus, citing port data, had already shown January-October sulfur exports of 2.39 million tonnes, already exceeding full-year 2021. The remaining two months completed the 2.79 million tonne year. First-half stems programmed at $400-plus FOB loaded through a second-half crash. Annual volumes can disconnect from spot trauma when the first half dominates the calendar.
Alberta recovered sulfur still leaves mainly through this stem. Forming plants, unit trains, and Port Moody loaders answered a Vancouver midpoint near $478 per tonne FOB, Argus, the highest since 2008. They did not idle when FOB fell under $65 within about two months. Some tonnes were already fixed. Some inland tons poured to block when netbacks failed. The 22 percent harbour increase is the net of those two answers.
The volume ladder is 2.29 million tonnes in 2021, 2.79 million in 2022, then 3.10 million in 2023. 2022 is the second step, the spike-year step. 2023 would grow again in a soft-price year. That is why 2022's 22 percent is logistics responding to price, and 2023's 11 percent is logistics becoming structural.
Tampa $481 in early April and $90 in the fourth quarter, USGS, is the Florida rhyme. US production about 8.6 million tonnes, unit value about $150, is the Atlantic recovered book. Canada's 4.9 million tonnes is the Pacific and rail book. Two hubs, one crash after China's July phosphate-export quota.
South Cheecham was still construction through 2022, Keyera's AIF, about 4,000 to 4,400 tonnes a day expected to lift Vancouver export capacity 5 to 10 percent once operational in 2023. The 2.79 million tonne year was achieved without that priller. Heartland's Edmonton-area forming, commissioned around 2021, was the node that existed.
China January-October imports 6.65 million tonnes, down 22 percent, still took Canadian granules in the spike months. September imports included Canada at 71,000 tonnes among top suppliers, IndexBox. A 22 percent Vancouver increase into a Chinese import contraction is destination diversification plus first-half pull. The harbour did not depend on a full Chinese year.
Figures follow VFPA. Licensed weekly grids are not restated. The 2,787,073 tonne print is the 2022 volume chapter of the five-year ladder.