by Canadian Sailings | Mar 5, 2019 | Gateways and Corridors, Keith Norbury, Other
By Keith Norbury
A new facility for handling imports of European vehicles is the latest addition to services at the Port of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. The B.C. Vehicle Processing Centre will receive its first shipment of 400 automobiles in early March, said Ian Marr, President and CEO of Nanaimo Port Authority. That is when the Tranquil Ace, an MOL pure car and truck carrier, or PCTC, will dock at the port’s Assembly Wharf near the city’s downtown. The ship is scheduled to arrive at Nanaimo on March 7. Renovations to the 60,000 square foot building that will house the vehicle processing centre were 90 per cent completed by January. “But there’s always the odd little thing you can do around it to make it just a little nicer,” Mr. Marr said.
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by Canadian Sailings | Mar 5, 2019 | Business and Economy, Corporate events & profiles, Gateways and Corridors, Ports and Terminals, Tom Peters
By Tom Peters
As container ships and cruise ships continue to get bigger, there is an urgency in several ports in Eastern Canada to accommodate these large vessels to remain competitive and to grow the business in these marine sectors.
The $205 million West Side modernization project in the Port of Saint John has been moving forward at a steady pace. The project will see the lengthening and strengthening of the pier structure at the West Side container terminal as well as the deepening of the main channel. The project is expected to be complete in 2023. Presently, radiation portals are being installed which will allow Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) a seamless transition with no impact to operations during the major wharf construction, says Paula Copeland, the Port’s Director of Communications and Corporate Social Responsibility. At the same time, a new bridge is being constructed to allow container wharf access as a portion of the existing wharf will be demolished to build the new berth. Additionally, a number of electrical upgrades are being completed for power supply to future crane and reefer facilities. A summary of other work to date includes the removal and demolition of outdated infrastructure; dredging and disposal of silt; placing and leveling of rock fill for caisson and mattress; construction and installation of caissons and piles; and connecting of existing wharf to new piles. (more…)
by Canadian Sailings | Mar 5, 2019 | Bruce Striegler, Business and Economy, Gateways and Corridors, Other, Rail
By R. Bruce Striegler
Canada’s oil industry has been facing record-low prices for its exports, a glaring lack of insufficient pipeline capacity to bring its product to market, and an uncertain long-term outlook. None of these factors, however, are stopping Alberta oil producers from increasing production, and relying more heavily than ever on rail to move the product. According to Statistics Canada, the volume of oil on Canada’s railroads has soared by 64.6 per cent in just the past year. And in the past seven years, the number of rail cars carrying oil across Canada has quadrupled. As one pipeline project after another fails to launch, the industry is relying more heavily on rail than ever to ship its oil. (more…)
by Canadian Sailings | Mar 5, 2019 | Alex Binkley, Business and Economy, Gateways and Corridors, Ports and Terminals, Top Stories
By Alex Binkley
After strong performance in 2017, with aggregate volumes up 7.7 per cent over 2016, Canada’s 18 Port Authorities generally reported volumes matching those of 2017, or modest increases. 2018 volumes were up over 2017 by 2.4 per cent, which represented only a slight increase over estimated population growth during the period of 1.2 per cent, or 12-month GDP growth of 1.7 per cent. Some ports, notably Hamilton, Trois-Rivières and Belledune, recorded strong increases in tonnage handled during 2018. Will the entry into force in late last year of the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership open markets to Canadian products across Asia? And will year two of the European free trade deal boost exports across the Atlantic?
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by Canadian Sailings | Oct 18, 2018 | Bruce Striegler, Business and Economy, Gateways and Corridors, Other, Supply Chain and Logistics
By R. Bruce Striegler
It was only a few years ago when many in Canada thought a huge wave of global LNG activity would soon crash over the shores of British Columbia. From an original list of more than 15 proposed multi-billion dollar projects in the Province, only one remains a possibility today. The rich Asian market has been glutted since 2015, following a massive development program across the region which began in 2000. But a policy shift to favour consumption of natural gas in China this year and strong economic growth across Asia has pushed up demand. Several export projects in North America hope for Final Investment Decision (FID) this year, including LNG Canada, a $40 billion, 13 million-tonnes-a-year venture led by Royal Dutch Shell, with PetroChina, Korea Gas Corporation and Japan’s Mitsubishi as partners. The proposed liquefaction plant and marine terminal are planned for Kitimat, B.C. (more…)
by Canadian Sailings | Oct 18, 2018 | Corporate events & profiles, Gateways and Corridors, Ocean, Ocean Carriers, Other, Ports and Terminals, Tom Peters
By Tom Peters
The developing technology to create a more efficient cargo supply chain, the status of North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) negotiations, and CN’s continued investment in safety and equipment to keep cargo moving fluidly, were among the main topics of discussion at the annual Halifax Port Days.
Digitization in the shipping industry grabbed the attention of delegates as a panel of business and technology experts focused on a new blockchain collaboration between Maersk and IBM, called TradeLens. The goal of the project is to develop a highly secure digital ledger system that promotes the sharing of information across the global shipping industry which can reduce costs, improve productivity, increase the speed of the delivery of goods and provide transparency. The Maersk-IBM blockchain will enable the needed safety and security for the digital platform. (more…)
