Port of Vancouver, Canada’s largest port, facilitates the trade of around US$220 billion-worth of goods annually with up to 170 countries.
In the first half of 2024, container volumes at the port largely rebounded and stabilized after several challenging years marked by a pandemic-driven surge in consumer demand and multiple supply chain disruptions. Vancouver’s box traffic experienced significant growth, rising 14% to 1.8 million TEUs. Import volumes (laden inbound) surged 19%, reaching 930,300 TEUs, while exports (laden outbound) grew 4% to 412,100 TEUs. The movement of empty containers also increased by 12% to 426,600 TEUs.
Inbound loaded imports increased by 19% as retailers replenished their inventories early, anticipating potential labour disputes, and some shipments were redirected from the East Coast due to disruptions in the Red Sea trade route.
Outbound loaded exports also saw a 4% rise, as more Canadian businesses opted to use containers for shipping goods to international markets.
In the first six months of the year, overall cargo volumes at the Port of Vancouver saw a slight decline of 1%, dropping to 75.5 million metric tonnes (MMT) compared to the same period in 2023.
Bulk liquid cargo saw a strong rise, with tonnage jumping 43% to 7 MMT. Petroleum product shipments climbed 53% to 5.8 MMT, while canola oil volumes increased 42% to 0.4 MMT. The automotive sector also experienced growth, with vehicle volumes up 14%, setting a record at 249,043 units.
