Port of Vancouver operations update

November 30, 2021

To Port of Vancouver’s valued customers and stakeholders,

Heavy rainfall across southwestern B.C. will continue tonight through Wednesday with improved weather forecast for Thursday and Friday. New evacuation orders for multiple communities have been issued.

The provincial state of emergency declared by the British Columbia Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General has been extended to December 14, 2021. The state of emergency effective November 17, 2021 applies to the entire province of B.C.

Rail operations:  CP and CN eastbound and westbound trains continue to transit on CP’s mainline between Vancouver and Kamloops. Enhanced rail infrastructure inspections and maintenance are ongoing. CN engineering teams continue to undertake repairs at a site impacted by heavy precipitation. A timeline for restored rail operations through the site is currently unavailable.

Port of Vancouver rail production (November 30):

  • Grain unloads:  78
  • Container terminal rail production (updated reporting):
    • Nov 30 = 12,191 ft
    • Nov 29 = 39,761 ft
    • Nov 28 = 10,988 ft
    • Nov 27 = 26,358 ft
    • Nov 26 = 27,565 ft
    • Nov 25 = 13,039 ft
  • Container import on-dock footage:  382,794 ft

Truck operations:  Container terminal truck activity is steady. Restored highway routes include detours, intermittent closures and essential traffic-only restrictions. Proactive closures may occur when heavy rainfall is forecast. Reconstruction and repairs continue on major roadways across the region.

Port of Vancouver truck activity (November 30):

  • Container truck reservations:  1,944

Marine operations:  Demand for anchorages currently exceeds capacity. Anchorages are assigned in a manner that ensures fluidity across all ship types and maintains essential services. Vessels in port can be viewed on the home page of the PortVan eHub app by selecting “Vessels in Port”.

Port of Vancouver anchorage occupation (November 30):

  • Vancouver Fraser Port Authority (English Bay, inner habour, Indian Arm):  81%
  • Southern Gulf Islands:  75%

An initiative is being undertaken to provide additional container storage capacity to ease supply chain constraints and bottlenecks in the Lower Mainland areas exacerbated by extreme weather disruptions. The project includes preparation of a 40-acre site for the temporary handling and storage of empty containers. Work to prepare the site for storage services and contract an operator will occur over the coming weeks.

Government of Canada news release:  Supply Chain Container Storage Project

We will continue to monitor the situation and keep you informed on any new developments as they arise.

Resources:

  • Port import rail on-dock footage summary: Import Rail On-dock Footage (updated daily Monday-Friday)
  • PortVan eHub app: access real-time insights into Port of Vancouver operations via the port authority’s mobile app eHub.  Download from the port authority’s website (eHub) or through the App Store (search for “PortVan eHub” or “Port of Vancouver”)
  • Port dashboard: view updates on import rail performance, truck terminal turn times, and gateway vessel on-time performance through the port authority’s website (Performance Metrics).
  • Port operations updatesOperations Updates
  • State of Emergency Declaration:  State of Emergency Declaration (issued November 17, 2021)

Please feel free to forward this update within your organization.

Thank you for your continued support of the Port of Vancouver.