Canadian ports lost direct connections to global shipping networks between 2016 and 2023, while vessel deadweight capacity at Canadian ports fell 28%, according to Bank of Canada research.
The central bank’s researchers found that Canada’s five largest ports all recorded a marked decline in degree centrality, a measure of how many unique destinations are directly connected to a port.
Major US ports also lost relative centrality over the same period, while East Asian hubs increased their role in global shipping networks.
Eight of the world’s 10 most-connected ports were in East Asia in 2023, up from six in 2016.
Total deadweight tonnage of vessels arriving at or departing from Canadian ports fell to 119m metric tons in 2023 from 167m metric tons in 2016.
The study linked part of the decline to the rise of larger ships. Ultra-large container vessels can carry more than 20,000 TEU, while the largest ships Canadian ports can accommodate are limited to about 15,000 TEU. That capacity gap means some imports from Southeast Asia must first move through the Port of Los Angeles before being carried onward to Canada by rail or truck.
The research used satellite data from exactEarth covering container ships and vehicle carriers, alongside deadweight tonnage data from London Stock Exchange Group.
Bank of Canada is Canada’s central bank, responsible for monetary policy, the financial system, currency issuance and funds-management services for the federal government.