The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority has announced the completion of the Centerm Expansion Project at the Port of Vancouver, delivered in partnership with terminal operator DP World.
The expansion project is set to increase the terminal’s container handling capacity by two-thirds by increasing the terminal footprint by 15 per cent, from 900,000 to 1.5 million TEU.
According to Cliff Stewart, Vice President of Infrastructure at the Port Authority: “The expanded Centerm terminal is an important addition to the Port of Vancouver as we continue to work to deliver the container capacity Canadians and Canadian businesses need to thrive now and into the future.”
The Centerm Expansion Project incorporated numerous measures to mitigate its environmental impact. These included eliminating wait times for vehicles at train crossings, increasing capacity for container ships to connect to electrical shore power, upgrading certain yard cranes from diesel to electric, and constructing buildings that adhere to sustainability standards such as LEED and Envision certification.
Public consultation on the project was based on two-way communication and open dialogue with stakeholders, the public and Indigenous groups during planning and construction.
As part of the port authority’s community investment for the project, a CA$500,000 ($367,000) Centerm Community Fund was developed to help thank the local community.
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The Port of Vancouver is anticipating the west coast marine container terminals in Canada to reach full capacity by the mid- to late-2020s. As a result, the port authority is striving to ensure that any infrastructure projects are planned and executed in a manner that prioritises environmental protection, improves the lives of local communities, and enhances the safe transportation of goods throughout the region.
“Trade through the Port of Vancouver is growing and we’re working to ensure infrastructure projects are designed and delivered in a way that protects the environment and benefits local communities while enhancing the safe movement of cargo through the region,” added Stewart.
The port authority is leading several other projects to enable Canada’s growing trade through the Port of Vancouver well into the future.
This includes the Roberts Bank Terminal 2 Project, which recently received the go-ahead from Canada’s Federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change.
