Port of Vancouver operations update

November 28, 2021

To Port of Vancouver’s valued customers and stakeholders,

Ongoing precipitation across southwestern B.C. has caused the closures of rail lines and highway routes servicing the West Coast.

Rail operations:  CP’s mainline between Kamloops and Vancouver is closed to enable engineering teams to conduct inspections and undertake repairs to stabilize sites impacted by rainfall. No new washouts have been reported. CN operated numerous trains over their mainline in the last 24 hours, but they have ceased operations to enable inspections and address ongoing water concerns. A timeline for fully restored rail operations to the West Coast is currently unavailable.

Port of Vancouver rail production (November 28):

  • Grain unloads:  unavailable
  • Container terminal rail production:
    • Nov 25 = 27,565 ft
    • Nov 24 = 13,039 ft
  • Container import on-dock footage:  unavailable

Truck operations:  The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure proactively closed highways previously impacted by flooding and landslides due to worsening weather.

Port of Vancouver truck activity (November 28):

  • Container truck reservations:  unavailable

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 28):

  • Vancouver Fraser Port Authority (English Bay, inner habour, Indian Arm):  81%
  • Southern Gulf Islands:  84%

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

The provincial state of emergency declared by the British Columbia Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General remains in place. The state of emergency effective November 17, 2021 applies to the entire province of B.C. for an initial 14-day period and may be extended or rescinded as conditions require.

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 updates: Operations 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.