Whether by air or sea, Canada is one of the major trade destinations. Stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific, this North American country has three territories and ten provinces. It even turned northward towards the Arctic Ocean.
Not only is Canada famous for its maple syrup, but it also covers two-fifths of the North American continent. As it borders several waterfronts, it has some of the most efficient and modern ports in the world.
1. Port of Vancouver
The port is overseen by the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority and is the largest port in the country. In North America, it ranks third in tonnage capacity. As a major port for facilitating trade between the country and other world economies due to its strategic positioning between different maritime trade routes and river fishing lanes. It is served by an intricate network of interstate highways and railroads.
The port handles the country's total cargo volume of more than 76 million tons, roughly equivalent to more than $43 billion in imports and exports from global trading partners. The port has 25 container, bulk and bulk terminals that directly provide employment to more than 30,000 individuals working in maritime cargo, shipbuilding and repair, the cruise industry and other non-maritime businesses. The ocean freight sector is the port's largest revenue generator and employer, followed by the cruise industry.
Vancouver is the base port for the Vancouver-Alaska cruise ship. In 2019, the port hosted more than 1 million cruise passengers on 288 cruise ships, a 22% increase in passenger traffic compared to the previous year. The city's net income per cruise ship is approximately $3 million.
2. Port of Montreal
Located on the St. Lawrence River fairway, the port has had a huge impact on the economies of Quebec and Montreal. This is because it is located on the shortest direct trade route between North America, the Mediterranean region and Europe.
The use of some of the latest technologies ensures the efficiency of the port. They're just starting to use AI-powered intelligence to predict the best times for drivers to pick up or drop off. In addition, they have secured funding to build a fifth container terminal, giving the port a larger capacity than the current annual capacity of at least 1.45 million TEUs. With the new terminal, the port is expected to be able to handle 2.1 million TEUs. The port handles more than 35 million tons of cargo annually.
3. Prince Rupert
Prince Rupert was built as an alternative to the Port of Vancouver, and it has a huge impact on the global market. It efficiently operates export products such as wheat and barley through its food production terminal, Prince Rupert grain. The terminal is one of the most modern grain facilities in Canada, handling more than 7 million tons of grain per year. It also has a storage capacity of over 200,000 tons. It serves the North African, American and Middle Eastern markets.
The Westview terminal handles the port's timber exports, which go to European markets, while the Ridley Coal Terminal exports metallurgical coal for steelmaking in Asian economies. This is the port of call when exporting most of Canada's natural resources. It is connected to mines, forests and fields within Canada, and the port is able to handle bulk cargo from inland Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, effectively preventing cargo congestion at another port and unnecessary export delays.
4. Port of Halifax
Connected to 150 economies around the world, the port is the epitome of efficiency, and its self-imposed deadlines help it move cargo quickly, while still maintaining a high level of professionalism. The port plans to be able to handle two large ships simultaneously when the container berths will be fully expanded by March 2020. Container traffic on Canada's east coast, where the port is located, tripled, meaning the port had to expand to accommodate traffic and take advantage of the influx.
The port is strategically located at the gateway for the movement of goods in and out of North America. Perhaps its greatest advantage is that it is an ice-free port and a deep-water port with few tides, so it can operate comfortably year-round. It is one of the four largest container ports in Canada capable of handling large volumes of cargo. It has facilities for oil, grain, gas, general cargo and shipbuilding and repair shops. In addition to handling general cargo, ro/ro and bulk cargo, it also welcomes cruise ships. It has become the world's leading port of call for cruise ships.
5. Port St. John
Located in the east of the country, this port is the largest port in the region. It handles bulk, breakbulk, liquid cargo, dry cargo and containers. The port can handle around 28 million tons of cargo, and connections to 500 other ports around the world make it a major facilitator of commerce in the country.
The Port of St. John's has excellent connections to Canada's inland markets by road and rail, as well as a popular cruise terminal. They also have terminals that cater to crude oil, scrap metal recycling, molasses and other commodities and products.
