Canada's Nutrien Ltd. Advances US$1 Billion Potash Export Terminal Project at Longview Port

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On November 10, Canada's Nutrien Ltd. and the Port of Longview in Washington State, USA, submitted a potash export terminal development plan and commercial lease terms to the port commission, planning to build a dedicated potash terminal at Longview with an annual export capacity of 5 million to 8 million tonnes. Nutrien plans to invest US$500 million to US$1 billion in the project, while the port plans to invest an additional US$110 million to upgrade berths and supporting infrastructure. The export supply will come from potash mines in Saskatchewan, Canada.

Under the preliminary lease arrangement, Nutrien plans to lease up to 105 acres (approximately 42.5 hectares) of land at Longview for an initial term of 50 years, with an option to extend for 30 years. The port will retain land ownership, while Nutrien will be responsible for the design, construction, equipment configuration, and subsequent operation of the export terminal. The port will handle site development, rail connection construction, related land treatment, and berth upgrades. The framework agreement currently formed by both parties still requires review by the port commission and approval by Nutrien's board of directors.

The terminal is planned for construction in the Berth 4 area of Longview, with supporting facilities including enclosed storage facilities, ship loading equipment, material conveying systems, rail receiving facilities, and terminal handling equipment. Potash from Saskatchewan will be transported by rail to Washington State and then enter the Pacific shipping network via the Columbia River. The project's planned annual export volume is 5 million to 8 million tonnes, primarily targeting Indo-Pacific markets including China, India, and Japan.

The port expects to invest approximately US$110 million for berth upgrades and related infrastructure construction, including new or upgraded vessel berthing facilities, loading systems, cargo conveying equipment, and rail receiving support. According to locally published development arrangements, the port will also be responsible for building rail lines connecting to the terminal and advancing site preparation and permitting work. Nutrien will share a portion of early-stage site development costs and receive up to US$80 million in cost credits through future terminal cargo handling fees and land rent offsets.

The company expects to make a final investment decision in 2028; if subsequent approvals and construction proceed as planned, the terminal could begin operations as early as 2032. A local economic impact assessment estimates that the project could create approximately 660 construction jobs during the construction period from 2027 to 2032, with operations and related economic activities also generating long-term employment demand.