Port of Vancouver Discussion

[jollyburger]

Ballantyne Pier Statement of Significance

https://www.portvancouver.com/wp-content...2016-Env_Studies_APPX_J-Heritage-CEP.pdf

[chowhou]

Interesting, I wasn't aware that port lands were exempt from "heritage" restrictions. Looks like it definitely is 100% designated a class A building by the City of Vancouver, but the city has no authority there. Good to learn.

[Jimbo604]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

It's fine to be pessimistic about their schedules (I have a Cybertruck reservation!) but the Semi is finally out. Just admit it.

In the not to far future when new ICE trucks sales are banned and they form an rapidly declining percentage of those on the road, he'll still be "I'm not folding yet!" Lol.

[Jimbo604]

Source: Google Street View

Anyways in PORT related news, I went by Heatley and Powell and can confirm the Heatley Port overpass has been completely demolished all the way to where the orange barriers are in this March 2022 Google Street View photo.

It is demolished to ground level but they haven't yet fully restored the street and there is still a fence around where the overpass previously joined the ground. I'll try and get a photo next time.

I think this is a win-win as the Port didn't want and/or didn't need it. And now the neighbourhood is more connected.

[chowhou]

Originally Posted by Jimbo604

In the not to far future when new ICE trucks sales are banned and they form an rapidly declining percentage of those on the road, he'll still be "I'm not folding yet!" Lol.

It's not going to be overnight and there's approximately zero chance ICE truck sales are going to be banned within the next year.

Last I heard, the federal government is eying 2035 for any sort of ICE ban.

One more time, I'm willing to admit I'm wrong if we have Tesla semis by this time next year, I hope you're willing to admit you're wrong if we don't.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by chowhou

It's not going to be overnight and there's approximately zero chance ICE truck sales are going to be banned within the next year.

Last I heard, the federal government is eying 2035 for any sort of ICE ban.

One more time, I'm willing to admit I'm wrong if we have Tesla semis by this time next year, I hope you're willing to admit you're wrong if we don't.

I'm cautiously optimistic we will.

[officedweller]

Thanks, I was wondering why there was an office block seemingly in the middle of nowhere.

[chowhou]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Hey put those back.

[madog222]

Centerm Expansion is more or less complete.

We are anticipating completing construction on the terminal including the intermodal yard by the end of the year. In December, we are wrapping up the container yard reconfiguration and optimization works, paving, and installation of remaining utilities.

From Port of Vancouver https://www.portvancouver.com/wp-content...ter-Centerm-and-South-Shore-Update-1.pdf

[officedweller]

Here's a pic of the Ballantyne Pier Cruise Ship Terminal from 2013:


https://www.captainalbert.com/12-may-2013-vancouver-canada/

[Denscity]

Nice. Is that a big enough expansion tho?

[madog222]

Originally Posted by Denscity

Nice. Is that a big enough expansion tho?

Not enough to negate the need for a new terminal but it is significant.
Centerm's capacity increases from 900k TEU to 1,500k TEU which is around a 20% increase for total Port of Vancouver container capacity.

[VancouverOfTheFuture]

Originally Posted by madog222

Not enough to negate the need for a new terminal but it is significant.
Centerm's capacity increases from 900k TEU to 1,500k TEU which is around a 20% increase for total Port of Vancouver container capacity.

that is more than i would have thought. it didnt look that significant.

i still think deltaport is the better long term place. no need to go through a narrow passage and under a low bridge.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by VancouverOfTheFuture

that is more than i would have thought. it didnt look that significant.

i still think deltaport is the better long term place. no need to go through a narrow passage and under a low bridge.

Didn't know there were competing expansion projects at Deltaport



https://www.betterdeltaport.ca/

[Migrant_Coconut]

Upon further reading, DP4 sounds like a better solution, but also screams of "Rail for the Valley" and negates that first impression.

I do like how it seemingly adds capacity without creating a brutal environmental review process.

[chowhou]

¿Por qué no los dos?

I have a dream that one day maybe within my lifetime Port of Vancouver operations will ramp down in the south harbour as Deltaport begins to take over. Maybe finally then Vancouver commuter rail will become viable.

[aberdeen5698]

Originally Posted by chowhou

I have a dream that one day maybe within my lifetime Port of Vancouver operations will ramp down in the south harbour as Deltaport begins to take over. Maybe finally then Vancouver commuter rail will become viable.

With the Port still making large investments in expansion of Centerm, etc. that have with decadal payback periods I wouldn't hold my breath.

The only thing I can think of that might make a major dent in transshipment volume through Burrard Inlet would be if China continues its stupid streak and invades Taiwan, which would trigger global sanctions against it. If that happens I suspect that commuter rail will fall pretty far down on our list of concerns.

[jollyburger]

Seems more likely they would repurpose any container-related facilities for some other purpose. And even if you add Deltaport capacity would it be superior to their current trucking/train operations dockside?

RE: Centerm

In response to increase international trade demand, “the Port Authority is leading the development of more than $1 billion worth of trade- enabling infrastructure projects.” Among those projects is an expansion of the Centerm container terminal, operated by DP World (Canada) Inc. on the south shore of Burrard Inlet. “It’s actually going to be completed November this year,” said Maksim Mihic, General Manager and CEO of DP World (Canada). He added that the project, which has been in the works for a decade, isn’t a response to the current situation. “It’s just careful planning for the capacity for the market,” Mr. Mihic said.

DP World repeats that theme with all its facilities, such as its Prince Rupert container terminal. It does so by maximizing the capacity of an existing facility by utilizing technology to minimize any increase in its footprint. “For example, in Vancouver we are going to increase the footprint 15 per cent but the capacity will be increased 66 per cent,” Mr. Mihic said.

According to the Port Authority, the Centerm expansion is valued at $454 million, which includes a $28.5 million federal government contribution toward the related South Shore Access Project to improve road and rail access. The terminal expansion will increase annual capacity to 1.5 million TEUs from 900,000 TEUs at present. “We will balance the berth capacity, yard capacity, rail capacity,” Mr. Mihic said. “The limiting factor for us was rail. So the rail capacity would be almost a 100 per cent increase.”

On-dock rail will nearly double to 15,000 feet from 8,000 feet. The facility will also switch from rubber-tire gantry cranes (RTGs) to rail-mounted gantry cranes (RMGs). “And we use the advanced software to optimize the movements so we will push more through the on-dock rail,” Mr. Mihic said.

https://canadiansailings.ca/strong-demand-drives-container-growth-at-vancouver/

[zahav]

The far eastern parcel of Centerm is still under construction, you can see it with the construction trailers and sand piles. But it's too far from the rest of the operations to be more container capacity, likely will be parking or some other accessory use.

I am glad the Port undertook this modernization/expansion, it's so crucial even with Deltaport growing. The south shore port functions aren't going anywhere, for a long time at least. Love to see a space be used more efficiently and with an expansion that creates so much more capacity on the same property. And glad Ballantyne closed, was a weird place to have cruise traffic. The expanded Canada Place makes way more sense to handle it all. Coming into/leaving from Canada Place is much better for the City, so it was win win to have all ships come right to Waterfront and then use Ballantyne for containers

[jollyburger]

The union representing Port of Vancouver dockworkers has delivered a strong thumbs-down to the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority’s (VFPA) proposed multibillion-dollar container terminal expansion project at Roberts Bank.

In a Feb. 9 open letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the federal cabinet, the International Longshore & Warehouse Union Canada (ILWU) congratulated the federal government for successfully hosting the recent COP15 environmental summit, but pointed to the VFPA’s $3.5 billion Terminal 2 expansion project as running counter to COP15’s aims to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by the end of the decade.

Terminal 2, which would add 2.4 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) to the port’s annual container handling capacity, would require the construction of an artificial island in what Terminal 2 opponents point out is an environmentally sensitive marine area.

The ILWU letter quotes a 2018 Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) opinion that characterized the environmental impacts of the Terminal 2 expansion as permanent and irreversible.

According to the letter, the ECCC reiterated in late October 2022, that despite the port’s attempts at mitigation, “the changes predicted as a result of the Project would likely constitute an unmitigable species-level risk to Western Sandpipers, and shorebirds more generally.”

The ILWU also argues that the project’s sliding timelines and ballooning costs are a “major risk to all port tenants, operators and labour in an uncertain time.”

It also expressed concerns about Terminal 2’s automation and the subsequent job losses it would result in and the amount of money the port would need to borrow to finance the project.

The ILWU therefore argues that the federal cabinet should reject the project.

The VFPA maintains, however, that, as part of the environmental assessment process, it has committed to 82 initiatives to protect the environment if the project is approved and that Terminal 2’s environmental impact will be kept to a minimum.

The VFPA’s Terminal 2 sales pitch also projects robust transpacific container cargo growth for B.C. ports over the next 20 years. Its low-end forecast has 6.7 million TEUs being handled annually; the high end would raise that total to 9.7 million.

The port, it says, therefore needs to initiate plans to add extra container cargo handling capacity now to handle the projected increase in the future.

It also wants to provide major ocean carrier companies with a terminal operated by a company other than the two that operate B.C.’s container terminals in Vancouver and Prince Rupert.

A decision on the Terminal 2 project, which has taken over a decade to reach federal cabinet consideration, is expected in the next few weeks

https://biv.com/article/2023/02/dockwork...-35-billion-terminal-2-expansion-project