Port of Vancouver operations update

December 3, 2021

To Port of Vancouver’s valued customers and stakeholders,

Cooling temperatures with the potential for light snow across some areas of southwestern B.C. is forecast through the weekend. Evacuation orders for multiple communities impacted by flooding remain in place.

Rail operations:  CP’s mainline between Vancouver and Kamloops remains operational with both CP and CN trains transiting eastbound and westbound. Track inspections and maintenance activities are ongoing and low-speed restrictions remain in place. Further progress has been made on the repairs to CN’s rail line between Kamloops and Boston Bar. Anticipated restoration of the line remains late-Friday, December 3. Rail service on the restored line will resume when it is deemed safe to operate.

Port of Vancouver rail production (December 3):

  • Grain unloads:  795
  • Container terminal rail production (last seven days):
    • Dec 3 = 20,731 ft
    • Dec 2 = 16,100 ft
    • Dec 1 = 8,482 ft
    • Nov 30 = 12,191 ft
    • Nov 29 = 39,761 ft
    • Nov 28 = 10,988 ft
    • Nov 27 = 26,358 ft
  • Container import on-dock footage:  389,006 ft

Truck operations:  Restored highway routes include detours, intermittent closures and essential traffic-only restrictions. Reconstruction and repairs continue on major roadways across the region.

Port of Vancouver truck activity (December 3):

  • Container truck reservations:  998

Marine operations:  Demand for anchorages 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 (December 3):

  • Vancouver Fraser Port Authority (English Bay, inner habour, Indian Arm):  70%
  • Southern Gulf Islands:  81%

The provincial state of emergency declared by the British Columbia Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General has been extended to December 14, 2021.

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.

We will continue to monitor the situation and keep you informed on any new developments as they arise. No updates are scheduled over the weekend unless significant changes occur.

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 updates: Operations Updates
  • State of Emergency Declaration:  State of Emergency Declaration (issued November 17, 2021)
  • State of Emergency Extension: State of Emergency Extension (issued November 20, 2021)
  • Government of Canada storage project news release: Supply Chain Container Storage Project

Please feel free to forward this update within your organization.

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