Archive and Printable Versions
Sign up to receive PortFAX electronically

Port of Vancouver records massive increase in international trade… Canada's import and export trade through the Port of Vancouver grew 11 per cent to 73.9 million tonnes in 2004, with shipments of several commodities reaching record levels. The port's 2004 performance is a key indicator for Western Canada's booming resource-based economy, which is being driven by surging demand from China and other Asian economies. The Port is a crucial component of a growing Canadian economy as North American trade with Asia drives growth at the Port for the foreseeable future. Visit www.portvancouver.com/media/news.html for more information and detailed statistics.

Register to attend the Marine Digest China Conference in April 2005… Attend the premier conference for China-North American shipping and logistics professionals! The VPA is pleased to co-sponsor the 4th Annual Marine Digest & Cargo Business News China Conference, to be held at Vancouver’s Westin Bayshore on April 18 and 19, 2005. Join your colleagues and other experts to discuss doing business with the world’s most dynamic economies. Visit www.thechinaconference.com for more information, for a list of confirmed keynote speakers and panelists, or to register to attend.

COSCO Vancouver visits Port of Vancouver on its maiden voyage… One of the largest container ships in the world, the COSCO Vancouver, visited the Port of Vancouver’s Vanterm container terminal in December, on its maiden voyage. The COSCO Vancouver is one of five, 8,000-TEU vessels built for COSCO Container Lines to service the transpacific trade. For more information on the COSCO Vancouver, please visit www.cosco.ca

VPA debuts new corporate office and interpretive centre… On December 7, 2004, the VPA welcomed customers, stakeholders and port community supporters to its new corporate office and interpretive centre located at the north end of Canada Place. VPA Chairman David Stowe, VPA President & CEO Captain Gordon Houston and special guest Premier Gordon Campbell officially opened the new facility by signing a wall in the building’s main concourse.

TSI contributes $100,000 to Delta Hospital Foundation's capital campaign… TSI Terminal Systems Inc. has announced a $100,000 contribution to the Delta Hospital Foundation's Capital Campaign. The contribution will go to support the new Emergency Department's patient/family waiting area. The donation will be paid over four years with the first $25,000 instalment paid in December 2004. Visit www.tsi.bc.ca for more information.

Westwood and Star Shipping sign space charter agreement… Westwood Shipping Lines and Norway’s Star Shipping have filed a Westbound Sailing and Space Charter Agreement with U.S. and Canadian regulators. Under the agreement, Star and Westwood will coordinate sailing schedules in order to allow vessel space to be shared. All regulatory requirements are expected to be met within 30 days, with operations to begin in late February. Visit www.starshipping.comor www.wsl.com for detailed information.

Sign up… to receive PortFAX electronically at www.portvancouver.com/trade_shipping/portfax

Clark Street Overpass rehabilitation… Repairs to the Clark Street Overpass are scheduled to take place from March 1 to early May 2005. The work involves rehabilitation of the deck concrete, replacement of expansion joint seals and miscellaneous concrete repairs. The overpass is expected to be limited to incoming traffic only as one lane will need to be closed during this repair period. Further details and updates will be posted at www.portvancouver.com as they become available.

Click here… Visit the VPA’s customer-focused Trade & Shipping website section featuring dynamic maps and detailed terminal information at www.portvancouver.com/trade_shipping

Canstruction call for entries… The Vancouver Port Authority is proud to be a continuing sponsor of Canstruction, a design/build competition that uses canned food and other non-perishable items as building blocks. The competition will be hosted again this year at the Canada Place cruise ship terminal. Call for entries deadline is February 17 for companies wishing to submit a team to build a structure. Build will take place March 4 and 5 with displays open for public viewing from March 6 to 12. All proceeds and food raised go to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society and other local food agencies. For more information, please visit www.canstructionvancouver.com

Shipping community supports disaster relief in Asia… Yang Ming Line has donated free shipping to all international rescue and charitable organizations approved by the South Asian governments for shipping of relief goods from Yang Ming’s worldwide ports-of-call to YML’s ports-of-call in the affected regions, as well as donating NT$10 million (CA$387,000) to facilitate the rescue and reconstruction work needed to aid Tsunami victims… China Ocean Shipping Company has donated 10 million RMB, (CA$1.484 million) to the Red Cross Society of China. Captain Wei Jai Fu also pledged immediate action for emergency seaborne transportation support around the clock as needed to assist in disaster relief in the region.

Education at the Port… The Canadian Wheat Board’s “Prairie-to-Port” Alberta Farmer Group visited various Port of Vancouver bulk and container-handling facilities in January. The group of 22 attended educational workshops and an on-site orientation of various grain-handling methods used in the Port.

Cruise BC requires the contracted services of an Executive Director… Interested applicants are invited to apply on or before February 14. Visit www.cruisebc.ca

VPA supportive of proposed pipeline expansion… In January, Terasen Pipelines Inc. held an open house in Calgary for pipeline stakeholders to learn about Terasen’s proposed pipeline expansion to accommodate growing volumes of output from Alberta’s oil sands. Recent studies show that Canada can become a significant contributor to emerging markets in California, Washington State and the Asia Pacific region. VPA representatives attending the open house answered questions pertaining to Terasen’s Westridge Marine Terminal in North Burnaby. For more information on Terasen’s TMX expansion plans, please contact Norm Rinne, Manager, Project Development, Terasen Pipelines Inc. at 1-800-535-7219 or direct at (403) 514-6430.

For more information:
For more information on any of these stories, call 1-888 PORTVAN. Or, send an email to: public_affairs@portvancouver.com

To view PDF files you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader.