The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority's 2023 cargo release highlighted sulfur volumes up 11 percent within record dry-bulk and overall port trade of 150.4 million metric tonnes, up 6 percent. Full-year sulphur throughput was 3,103,912 tonnes, continuing the climb from 2.29 million tonnes in 2021 and 2.79 million in 2022. The article is at https://www.portvancouver.com/article/strong-canadian-exports-support-record-2023-trade-volumes-through-port-vancouver.
An 11 percent sulfur increase inside a record bulk year is Canadian solid sulfur as a structural Pacific staple. Buyers in Asia programmed Vancouver stems on logistics reliability and term relationships, not only on 2022 emergency scarcity. Dedicated terminal handling at Port Moody and related Vancouver facilities supported the higher run-rate.
Alberta recovered sulfur still leaves mainly through this stem. South Cheecham's third-quarter start added Fort McMurray-area forming. Heartland's Edmonton terminal remained the remelt-and-form node. Sultran's rail programme, more than 1,500 gondola cars to Port Moody and North Vancouver, is the inland backbone. An 11 percent harbour increase is that chain clearing, not a new Claus industry.
China took about 1.2 million tonnes of Canadian sulfur in 2023, IndexBox, inside an 8.8 million tonne Chinese import recovery. The other 1.9 million tonnes of the 3.10 million tonne sulphur year went elsewhere. Destination diversification was already underway even if monthly public matrices are incomplete.
Tampa's mid-July $55 per long ton trough, USGS, and December Vancouver FOB at $72, Argus, are the prices under this record bulk year. Volume can rise when prices are soft if logistics and term contracts hold. That combination matters for corridor analysis. 2025 remelt draws and 2026 alternative-origin bids would need this muscle.
July's 13-day strike disrupted loadings inside this annual. The 11 percent still printed. 2024 January-August exports 15 percent above the prior year at 2.27 million tonnes include that base-effect. 2023 is the year the ladder's third step became undeniable: 2.29 to 2.79 to 3.10 million tonnes.
BC Insight's 2023 Canadian export split, about 2.8 million tonnes via Vancouver and 1.3 million molten to the US, sits next to VFPA's 3.10 million tonne sulphur line. The two Vancouver numbers are close. Treat VFPA as the verified public harbour anchor. Treat BC Insight as industry-estimate national balance.
Figures follow VFPA. Licensed weekly grids are not restated. The 3,103,912 tonne print is the 2023 volume chapter of the five-year story.