The Wolfson Centre for Bulk Solids Handling Technology

CN sets latest grain movement record

(Posted on 06/05/21)

CN has announced that it moved 2.90 million metric tonnes (MMT) of western Canadian grain in April 2021, exceeding the previous April record of 2.82 MMT set in 2020 and over 5% ahead of the three-year average of 2.75 MMT.

CN safely transports by rail more than 300 million tons of natural resources, manufactured products, and finished goods throughout North America every year. As the only railroad connecting Canada’s Eastern and Western coasts with the U.S. South through a 19,500-mile rail network, CN and its affiliates have been contributing to community prosperity and sustainable trade since 1919.

So far, during the 2020-2021 crop year, CN has moved over 25.6 MMT of Canadian grain via carload. This is an increase of 17% compared to the previous crop year to-date record of 21.9 MMT established in the 2018-19 crop year.

Containerised grain shipments direct from western Canada are also on record pace at over 860,000 metric tonnes shipped crop year to-date, in addition to the tonnage shipped from eastern Canada.

“Once again, and for the fourteenth consecutive month, our dedicated team of railroaders has succeeded in setting a new record for the movement of Canadian grain. Needless to say, the valuable cooperation of our agri-food and supply chain partners was key to achieving these results. We believe that our long-term investment strategy was important in setting these 14 consecutive records, but none of this would have been possible without everyone's dedication,” said James Cairns, senior vice president, rail centric supply chain at CN.

CN's continued ability to deliver record volumes is largely due to investments made by the railway over the past few years.