By Stephen Nakrosis

Canadian National Railway Co. on Thursday said a record three vessels carrying Canadian propane for international markets departed from AltaGas' Ridley Island Propane Export Terminal in May.

The company said the three departures from the terminal, which is located in British Columbia, bested the previous record by 50%.

CN also said the terminal exclusively uses its transcontinental rail network to transport propane from Alberta and British Columbia for export to global markets.

Since its launch in May of last year, the terminal has moved over 1 million tons of propane, the railroad said.

"International markets are constantly looking for new reliable sources of energy," said Buck Rogers, vice president, petroleum and chemicals at CN. "Canada's ability to provide this energy, safely and efficiently, is key to our economic recovery and to our role as a global trading partner. While the energy industry has been particularly affected by the recent economic downturn, CN remains committed to providing a safe and reliable solution to getting Canadian Energy to international markets."

AltaGas, on its website, said the Ridley Island Propane Export Terminal is Canada's first propane export facility. 



  --Write to Stephen Nakrosis at stephen.nakrosis@wsj.com