• 2021 April 10 10:09

    Strong 2020 cargo volumes show resiliency of the Port of Vancouver and port industries during a challenging year

    The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority has announced the 2020 year-end statistics for goods moving through the Port of Vancouver. Overall, cargo through the port increased by 1% from 144.2 to 145.5 million metric tonnes (MMT) over the same time last year, with new annual records set for grain, potash, and container trade.

    “During what was most definitely a year that will be in the history books amid a myriad of challenges and global economic uncertainty, the value and resiliency of Canada’s largest port has certainly been showcased” said Robin Silvester, president and chief executive officer of the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority. “The determination and commitment of so many to keep the supply chain operating well, while safely managing the far-reaching impacts of the pandemic, were critical to Canadians and Canada’s economy, though some sectors, like cruise, were hard-hit last year.”

    For the fifth year in a row, global demand for Canadian grain resulted in a new annual record of 35.1 MMT of grain shipped both in bulk ships and containers, an increase of fully 24% or 6.8 MMT compared to the previous year. Increases in wheat, up 25%, canola, up 45%, and specialty crops, up 12%, contributed to the record. Fertilizer inputs were also up; potash exports increased by 11% from last year’s record and sulphur increased by 8%. Growth in total foreign exports resulted in a year-end record of 99.0 MMT, up 3%, due to the increases in grain and fertilizers, as well as petroleum cargos.

    Shipping container quantities, measured by 20-foot equivalents or TEUs, were a record 3.5 million TEUs, an increase of 2% compared to the previous year. The port authority recently updated its container forecasts, and expects continued growth in this sector.

    In response to growing international trade demand, the port authority is continuing to advance the critical infrastructure required to accommodate this growth through the port. Working with industry and government partners across the Lower Mainland, the port authority is leading the development of more than $1 billion worth of infrastructure projects, including two container terminal projects and a number of road and rail infrastructure projects.

    “Trade is continuing to grow and a core part of our role as a Canada Port Authority is to ensure the port infrastructure is there to handle what Canada wants to trade,” said Silvester. “By investing to build the necessary capacity to accommodate increasing trade growth, we are supporting all port users including farmers, businesses, and industry who rely on the port to move their goods efficiently and remain competitive. This is critical to the long-term economic viability of this gateway and of Canada.”

    Some cargo sector volumes declined as a result of challenges including impacts of the pandemic, railroad blockades, weather conditions, and terminal upgrades. Auto imports were down 18%, and export breakbulk forest products and coal, were down 14% and 15% from the previous year, respectively. With the cancellation of the cruise season, there were no cruise sailings in 2020.

    “The efficient movement of goods through the port during the challenging circumstances of this past year was only possible thanks to the dedicated efforts of marine carriers and pilots, longshore workers, terminal operators, railway workers, trucking companies and drivers, along with many others who make up the port community,” said Silvester. “We appreciate the work these groups, and all stakeholders and partners, including Indigenous Groups, labour and government, have done to keep the port open round the clock, day in and day out. They have helped keep Canadians across the country supplied with essential goods. It is the port community that is the driving factor in showcasing—and amplifying—the value that Canada’s largest port brings to this region, and to the country.”

    Backgrounder

    • Overall cargo (import and export) up 1%, an increase to 145.5 MMT compared to year-end 2019
    • Container quantities increased 2% to 3.5 million TEUs. Imports increased 7% to 1.9 million TEUs. Exports decreased 3% to 1.6 million TEUs.
    • Breakbulk cargo decreased 3% to 16.7 MMT. Woodpulp increased 8% compared to 2019, while basic metals decreased 12%.
    • Bulk dry cargo increased 1%. Coal volumes decreased 15% while grain volumes were up 28%, potash was up 11% and sulphur was up 8%.
    • Bulk liquid increased by 16% over year-end 2019 due to a 18% increase in petroleum products and a 16% increase in canola oil.
    • Cruise season was cancelled in 2020

    About the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority and the Port of Vancouver

    The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority is the federal agency responsible for the stewardship of the Port of Vancouver. Like all Canada Port Authorities, we are accountable to the federal minister of transport, and operate pursuant to the Canada Marine Act with a mandate to enable Canada’s trade through the Port of Vancouver, while protecting the environment and considering local communities. The port authority is structured as a non-share corporation, is financially self-sufficient and does not rely on tax dollars for operations. Our revenues come from port terminals and tenants who lease port lands, and from port users who pay various fees such as harbour dues. Profits are reinvested in port infrastructure. The port authority has control over the use of port land and water, which includes more than 16,000 hectares of water, over 1,500 hectares of land, and approximately 350 kilometres of shoreline. Located on the southwest coast of British Columbia in Canada, the Port of Vancouver extends from Roberts Bank and the Fraser River up to and including Burrard Inlet, bordering 16 municipalities and intersecting the traditional territories and treaty lands of several Coast Salish First Nations. The Port of Vancouver is Canada’s largest port, and the third largest in North America by tonnes of cargo. Enabling the trade of approximately $240 billion in goods with more than 170 countries, port activities sustain 115,300 jobs, $7 billion in wages, and $11.9 billion in GDP across Canada.


2024 March 18

18:13 Brunvoll propulsion chosen for ESVAGT's growing fleet of SOVs
17:42 ADNOC signs second long-term Heads of Agreement for Ruwais LNG Project
17:37 Cemre Marin Endustri shipyard holds launching ceremony for CMAL's MV Isle of Islay
17:24 Fortescue successfully conducts world’s first use of ammonia as a marine fuel in a dual-fueled ammonia-powered vessel in the Port of Singapore
17:02 APL updates on European Union’s Import Control System 2
16:03 MED Marine contracted to build MED-A2575 series tug for SVS Maritime
15:31 Hanwha Ocean and BV join hands to develop a 270K LNG carrier
15:17 HD Korea Shipbuilding awarded contracts for three VLACs
14:18 Port of Skagen and Stillstrom partner to decarbonise anchorage zone with offshore charging solutions
13:22 Sanmar delivers 6th battery electric power tugboat to Norwegian operator
13:16 COSCO SHIPPING Lines announces the launch of OCEAN Alliance DAY 8 product this year
12:21 Dutch offshore wind farm approved by LR
11:39 ClassNK awards first-ever notation for improvements in living and working environment to Fuyo Kaiun's bulk carrier "ELETTRA"
11:31 Davie strengthens Québec’s shipbuilding industry by supporting the reorientation of AFCDC
10:44 Storylines and Brodosplit shipyard renew ship building contract to construct private residence ship
10:25 BOEM announces environmental review of proposed wind energy project offshore New Jersey
09:51 First ‘flying’ electric ferry to debut in New Zealand in 2025

2024 March 17

16:31 Norwegian Shipowners' Association names Harald Fotland as its President
15:22 ABS Wavesight Nautical Systems now supports fully digital, streamlined SIRE 2.0 inspections
14:15 TechnipFMC selected by NEP to deliver the first all-electric iEPCI for CCS
13:03 US sanctions shipping company, targeting Iran and Houthi rebels
11:01 The first hybrid electric vessel built in South America will use a Corvus battery system
09:47 Kalmar and Forterra sign JDA for autonomous terminal tractor

2024 March 16

16:24 The Netherlands selects Naval Group for its submarine replacement program
15:41 Equinor exercises options to extend four-year drilling contracts
14:17 GONDAN Shipbuilders hosts launching ceremony for Edda Wind's CSOV C503
13:47 Van Oord, Van Aalsburg partner to further develop circular fascine mattresses
12:13 Snam wins "A" raing in CDP's Suppliers Engagement Rating for efforts against climate change
10:54 ULSTEIN unveils new subsea vessel for offshore energy tasks

2024 March 15

18:07 DNV gives nod to Friede & Goldman BargeRack solution
18:02 New partnership enables faster offshore wind installations in the U.S.
17:53 First production line at ‘World’s Largest Monopile Factory’ to go live in July
17:21 Brunvoll DP2 upgrades for more Mokster vessels
16:55 CMA CGM to suspend its calls at Port au Prince, Haiti
16:03 GEFO's LNG DF chemical tanker Tosca gets Green Award
15:19 CEVA Logistics develops new vehicle logistics business at the Port of Dunkirk
14:11 MPA: SaR operation continues for a missing crew member of the Liberia-flagged UTOPIA
13:07 To develop the Far East it makes sense to build a new shipyard in the country’s eastern regions, President Putin said
12:48 World’s first use of ammonia as a marine fuel in a dual-fuelled ammonia-powered vessel in the Port of Singapore
11:39 COSCO Shipping calls Port of Genoa, Italy with 20,000 TEU vessels on regular basis
10:03 DMC contracted to supply rudder systems for the world’s largest PCTCs

2024 March 14

18:04 Shearwater awarded seismic survey for UK carbon capture and storage project
17:15 UAE, world leaders discuss maritime corridor for aid to Gaza
16:05 Marine fuel sales at Singapore drop to a three-month low in February
15:43 World Shipping Council selects NCB for liner shipping Cargo Safety Program
15:00 ZIM reports results for 2023
14:57 DP World announces 2023 results
14:29 HaiSea unveils new operations facility for the world’s greenest tugboat fleet
13:44 DEME awards KENC with engineering and fabrication scope on multiple offshore wind installation projects
13:25 MABUX: Bunker Outlook, Week 11, 2024
12:43 Wartsila Lifecycle Agreement to support optimised low-emission operations for two P&O Ferries vessels
11:35 Hapag-Lloyd transport volumes up by 0.5% to 11.9 million TEU in 2023
10:51 NYK and Astomos Energy christen new dual-fuel LPG carrier
10:25 Port of Long Beach container volume up 24.1% to 674,723 TEUs in Feb 2024

2024 March 13

18:02 Lebanese, French officials float a plan to rebuild Beirut port nearly 4 years after huge explosion
17:23 Ascenz Marorka obtains type approval for cyber-security from Bureau Veritas for its digital solutions
16:58 USDOT announces $500 mln for ports available through the Port Infrastructure Development Program
15:44 RINA wins contract to create global investment plan for cruise sector
15:23 Hede International Shipping enters the Transpacific container trade
14:43 Concordia Damen wins contract to deliver a CDS2410 River Pusher to Transporte Fluviales Frey Bentos
14:13 CMA CGM Group launches its first loyalty program SEA REWARD
13:13 Cargill posts results of the six-month test period of the world’s first wind-powered ocean vessel
12:24 Rotterdam's Gate Terminal sees need for more LNG bunkering capacity at Rotterdam
11:58 MOL announces delivery of LNG-fueled car carrier CERULEAN ACE
11:24 Panama Canal announces increase in daily slots at Panamax locks
10:25 thyssenkrupp Veerhaven plans the climate-friendly pusher tug

2024 March 12

18:04 Cosco Shipping installs Iridium Global Maritime Distress and Safety System on PCTC Cosco Tengfei
17:30 LR issues Project Certificate for CrossWind Hollandse Kust Noord wind farm
17:16 The shipping industry to need €3.7 trillion by 2050 to move towards a zero-pollution era
16:25 China Classification Society and MAN ES sign dual-fuel methanol engine agreement