Top 5 Most Important Ports in Canada

Canada is one of the leading destinations for both air and seaborne trade. Stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific, this North American country has three territories and ten provinces. It even reaches as far north as the Arctic Ocean. Since it is adjacent to multiple seashores, it is home to some of the most efficient and modern ports in the world.

Importantly, Canada is the second-largest country in the world, located in North America. Its coastline is about 243,042 kilometers long, and it has more than 900 ports and bays. The Port of Vancouver is the largest port in Canada, and the North Fraser Port Authority is the smallest port in Canada. In this article, we will analyze the major ports in Canada in detail.

List of Major Ports in Canada

Indigenous people inhabited Canada before the arrival of the British and French in the 16th century. Today, it is a developed country rich in natural resources. These resources make it the best place and a real advantage for international trade. Canada relies heavily on the marine industry, which drives economic growth, creates more jobs, and cultivates innovative thinking.

Other important sectors, such as fisheries, construction, manufacturing, and tourism, also play an important role in boosting the economy. The details of major ports in Canada are as follows.

1. Port of Vancouver

Overseen by the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, the port is the largest port in the country. In North America, it ranks third in terms of payload capacity. Due to its strategic location between various ocean trade routes and river fishing routes, it is a major port that facilitates trade between the country and other economies worldwide. It is served by a sophisticated network of highways and interstate railroads.

The port handles a total volume of more than 76 million tons of cargo, equivalent to more than $43 billion worth of imports and exports from global trading partners. It has 25 container, bulk, and breakbulk terminals and directly employs more than 30,000 people in marine transportation, shipbuilding and repair, the cruise industry, and other non-maritime operations. The shipping industry is the port’s largest revenue generator and employer, followed by the cruise industry.

Vancouver is the home port for the Vancouver-Alaska cruise. In 2019, the port welcomed more than 1 million passengers from 288 cruise ships, a 22% increase in passenger traffic over the previous year. The city earns nearly $3 million in revenue for each cruise.

2. Port of Montreal

Located on the maritime route of the St. Lawrence River, the port greatly impacts the economies of Quebec and Montreal. It is on the shortest direct trade route between North America, the Mediterranean region, and Europe.

The use of some of the latest technology ensures the port’s efficiency. They have just started using artificial intelligence to predict the best time for drivers to pick up and drop off containers. In addition, they have obtained funding to build a fifth container terminal, allowing the port to handle more than the current annual throughput of at least 1.45 million TEUs. Once the new terminal is completed, the port is expected to handle 2.1 million TEUs. The port handles more than 35 million tons of cargo per year.

3. Prince Rupert Port 

The Port of Prince Rupert was established as an alternative to the Port of Vancouver, with great access to global markets. It efficiently ships export products such as wheat and barley through the Prince Rupert Green Grain Production Terminal.

The terminal is one of Canada’s most modern grain facilities. It can transport more than 7 million tons annually and has storage capacity exceeding 200,000 tons. It serves North African, American, and Middle Eastern markets.

The Westview Terminal handles the port’s lumber exports to European markets, while the Ridley Coal Terminal exports metallurgical coal for steelmaking to Asian economies. This is the port of call for most of Canada’s natural resource exports. Connected to mines, forests, and fields across Canada, the port can handle bulk cargo from the interior of Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan, effectively avoiding cargo congestion and unnecessary export delays at other ports.

4. Port of Halifax

The port is connected to 150 economies worldwide and is a model of efficiency, with self-imposed deadlines that help transport goods quickly while maintaining high professionalism. By March 2020, the port plans to be able to berth two giant ships at the same time, when the container berths will be fully expanded. Container traffic on the east coast of Canada, where the port is located, has doubled, which means that the port must expand to accommodate the traffic and make the most of the flow.

The port is strategically located at the entrance and exit of North American cargo transportation. Perhaps its greatest advantage is that it is an ice-free and deep-water port with few tides, so it can operate comfortably all year round. It is one of Canada’s four largest container ports and can handle large amounts of cargo. It has oil, grain, gas, general cargo, shipyards, and repair facilities. In addition to handling bulk cargo, cruise ships are also welcomed. It has become a leading port for cruise ships around the world.

5. Port of Saint John

The port is located in the eastern part of the country and is the largest port in the region. It handles bulk cargo, breakbulk cargo, liquid cargo, dry cargo, and containers. The port can handle about 28 million tons of cargo and is connected to 500 other ports worldwide, making it a major trade facilitator in the country.

Port of Saint John has good connections to the Canadian internal market by road and rail, and also has a popular cruise ship terminal. It also has terminals for shipping crude oil, scrap metal recycling, molasses and other commodities and products.

Final Thoughts 

These five major terminals are the largest in Canada and provide countries around the world with the opportunity to enter the Canadian market and ship their products to their final destination. Before working with a freight company, be sure to read reviews about the best freight companies in Canada and if you need a quote to ship your products, contact our team of logistics professionals.