Port Colborne will be home to a $33 million, 8 million-liter biofuel terminal located on five hectares on the east pier of the Welland Canal that will serve more than 100 vessels annually and contribute to a more environmentally friendly shipping corridor in the Great Lakes through the provision of access to biofuels.
The facility will be managed by Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority (HOPA) and operated in partnership with Canada Clean Fuels and Canada Steamship Lines (CSL). The federal government is contributing $13.8 billion through the green shipping corridor program, which will fund technology, equipment, and infrastructure.
The facility will distribute up to 70 million liters of biodiesel annually, which is enough to fuel more than 100 vessels per year and will have the capacity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by upwards of 144,000 tonnes by 2030. As ships are already one of the most efficient methods of moving commodities compared to rail and truck, this is a long-term investment to facilitate more efficient shipping capabilities.