Terry Beech, the Canadian Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport and Member of Parliament for Burnaby North – Seymour, on behalf of Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport, announced that the Government of Canada is investing more than $300,000 in two projects at the Port of Vancouver to strengthen its transportation system and better prepare for climate change and extreme weather events.
As part of its investments to improve transportation infrastructure, the Government of Canada announced an investment of $20 million to increase rail capacity near Abbotsford resulting in a significant increase in overseas trade to and from terminals in the Port of Vancouver.
A malfunction in the fumigation hatch caused an explosion onboard the Liberian-flagged bulk carrier ‘Minoan Glory’ while anchored off Vancouver, in the early afternoon hours of 6 August. There was a lot of sound and fury, but there were no injuries.
As part of its efforts to support jobs and economic growth, the Government of Canada announced a major investment of $102 million for five projects aimed to increase efficiency at the Port of Vancouver and move Canadian goods to international markets.
Shore power enables ships equipped with the necessary equipment to shut down diesel powered auxiliary engines and plug into land-based electrical power. This reduces emissions of pollutants that damage air quality and GHG emissions that contribute to climate change. It also reduces engine noise. In this video, the Port of Vancouver presents its own shore power facility.
The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, in collaboration with Centerm container terminal operator DP World, announced that it is donating $2 million to community initiatives as part of the Centerm Expansion Project in the Port of Vancouver. The Centerm Expansion Project aims to help meet near-term demand for containers shipped through the Port of Vancouver.
The Port of Vancouver reminds the shipping industry that as of June 1 the commercial shipping sector is alerted to begin voluntarily slowing their ships southern resident killer whales return to Haro Strait and Boundary Pass to feed for the summer.
A lockout of longshore workers at the Port of Vancouver ended, as a deal was reached on May 30. The agreement prevented a potentially significant shipping disruption, as the workers’ union and employers association informed. The issue that led to the disagreement was the employers association’s introduction of automation that could lead to jobs losses.
According to local sources, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada (ILWU Canada) reached an agreement with B.C. Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA), preventing a shutdown at the majority of the major port facilities, located at the Canadian west coast.
As activity in the Vancouver harbour increases with more commercial and recreational boaters sharing the waterways, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority and Vancouver Police Department Marine Unit issued guidance encouraging boaters to follow safe boating practices.
