This fact sheet provides an overview of the operations, trade, facilities and economic importance of the Port of Vancouver. These 2005 figures are intended for use in general descriptions of the port.
The Port
The Port of Vancouver has one of the world's finest natural, deep-water harbours. It covers 247 km of coastline from Roberts Bank at the U.S.-Canada border, along the south shore of Burrard Inlet, up Indian Arm and the north shore of Burrard Inlet. The Vancouver Port Authority controls 6,000 hectares of water and 460 hectares of land, most of which is largely occupied by cargo terminals. Industry, the provinces and municipalities own additional land.
The Port of Vancouver trades $43 billion in goods with more than 90 trading economies annually.
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2005 Statistics
Cargo |
| Total traffic: |
76.5 million tonnes
Foreign exports = 64.5 million tonnes
Foreign imports = 8.4 million tonnes
Domestic traffic = 3.6 million tonnes
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| Cargo types: |
Bulk = 77%
Breakbulk (mostly forest products) = 4%
Containers = 19%
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| Containers: |
1,767,379 TEUs (20-foot equivalent units) |
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| Foreign vessel arrivals: |
2,677 |
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| Trade |
| Origin of exports: |
BC = 51%
Alberta = 26%
Saskatchewan = 15%
Manitoba = 4%
Other provinces = 4% |
|
| Destination of exports: |
Asia = 66%
Europe = 11%
Latin/South America = 13%
Other = 10% |
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| Principal exports: |
Coal = 25.2 million tonnes
Major Grains = 8.4 million tonnes
Wood Pulp = 4.3 million tonnes
Sulphur = 6.1 million tonnes
Potash = 5.9 million tonnes
Chemicals = 2.2 million tonnes
Crude Petroleum = 1.2 million tonnes
Others = 4.4 million tonnes |
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| Comparison |
The Port of Vancouver is North America's gateway for Asia-Pacific trade. It is large by world standards. In North America, it ranks #1 in total foreign exports. On the West Coast, it ranks #3 in total cargo volume and #3 for full foreign containers. In Canada it ranks #1 in total cargo handled and #1 in total container throughput. |
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| Facilities |
There are 25 major marine terminals:
Bulk (17), containers (3), cruise (2), & breakbulk or general cargo (3)
There are 3 major railways:
Canadian National (CN), Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR), Burlington Northern (BN) |
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| Cruise |
The Port of Vancouver is the home port for the Vancouver-Alaska cruise from May to September, one of the world's premier cruise routes.
Revenue passengers = 910,172
Cruise lines = 16
Cruise ships = 33
Sailings = 272
The cruise industry contributes $1.4 billion in total economic output and $2 million per sailing to regional economies.
Information on the 2006 cruise season is available here. |
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| Economic Impacts of the Port of Vancouver |
The operation of the Port of Vancouver involves many different enterprises including cargo terminals, cruise terminals, industries requiring tidewater access, shipyards, tugboats, railways, trucks, shipping agents, freight forwarders, suppliers, builders, and administrative agencies.
More information about the economic impacts of Port of Vancouver activities, including the latest economic study, can be found here.
The latest study completed in 2004 indicated that the economic impacts of Port activities were estimated to be:
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| Jobs: |
62,200 (total)
30,100(direct)
21,200(indirect)
17,900 (induced) |
Gross Domestic Product (GDP):
|
$4 billion |
Economic output:
|
$8.9 billion |
| Direct Wages: |
$1.5 billion |
| Taxes to governments: |
$763 million |
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updated March 23, 2006 |
