PORT OF LONGVIEW – Nutrien Ltd., the world’s largest producer of potash fertilizer (a potassium-rich mineral essential for agriculture and animal feed), is expected to announce plans to build their new multi-billion-dollar export terminal in Longview.
Nutrien’s shift from its expansion plans from Canada to the U.S. is in its early stages; final investment decisions are expected in 2027, with construction completed by 2031.
The Longview terminal is better suited to address rail bottlenecks, aging port infrastructure, and construction challenges that their counterparts in Canada are experiencing.
On its website, Nutrien says it produces and distributes about 27 million tons of potash, nitrogen, and phosphate products for global agricultural, industrial, and feed customers.
They are the world’s largest producer, operating six potash mines in Canada, and with over 28 retail outlets in Washington State, Nutrien is deeply connected to the Pacific Northwest’s agricultural economy. They serve over 600,000 accounts worldwide, and Longview is expected to significantly enhance their established distribution capacity, especially in Asian markets.
Key Project Details:
Company: Nutrien Ltd., a $29 billion Canadian-based global agriculture giant headquartered in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, mines potash from six Saskatchewan sites and produces 26 million tons annually of potash, nitrogen, and phosphate products.
Location: Berth 4 at the Port of Longview, a redeveloped site that was used as a grain terminal until it was abandoned in 1989. The Berth is unique because it offers deep-water access on the Columbia River, strong rail connectivity (with future rail expansions), and doesn’t have tide delays for exports.
Investment: $500M to $1B.
Capacity: 5–6 million tons per year, potentially exporting up to $3B worth of potash annually at current prices. By the early 2030s, this could match Nutrien’s shipments through its Canadian ports.
Purpose: Export of potash to Indo-Pacific markets (e.g., China, India, Japan) is projected to increase from 72 million tons to 80 million tons by 2030,
Timeline:
- Site selection: Nov 2025
- Final decision: 2027
- Construction start: 2027
- Operations: 2031
Economic Impact: Expected to create jobs in construction, operations, and logistics. The final estimated number of full-time permanent job positions created has not yet been released.
Why Longview? Nutrien evaluated the site using 30 criteria, including rail rates, freight costs, construction feasibility, and supply chain efficiency. Longview outperformed options such as Vancouver, B.C. (constrained by a single rail bridge bottleneck and the federal government’s hesitation to invest in aging infrastructure), and Portland, OR.
The decision has sparked debate in Canada, with officials viewing it as a setback for domestic mining strategies, though Nutrien emphasized it was purely economic.
