2018 was a tough year for the Port Alberni Port Authority
Local docks haven’t seen a lumber ship in more than a year as Western Forest Products now trucks lumber from their Alberni Pacific Division Mill to Duke Point in Nanaimo for shipment to foreign markets.
Director of Operations Mike Carter says the lack of lumber led to layoffs on the docks and in the office.
“We had a mechanic, forklift operator and a foreman working in the yard, and those positions are not here today,” said Carter. “We’re down two office people as well as we had to curtail our operations.”
While raw log exports were down 3%, domestic log transfers were up 42%
Carter says fish processing vessels have returned with two large factory ships calling Port Alberni home creating dozens of full-time and part-time jobs on the waterfront.