Terminal Master Plan Outlines Future Container Terminal Capacity and Development

Monday, May 13, 2019

The Prince Rupert Port Authority (PRPA) announced today the completion of a container terminal master plan that outlines the potential of future container terminal capacity and sequencing of development at the Port of Prince Rupert. The planning work identifies the long-term potential to develop 6–7 million TEUs of capacity through the development of multiple terminals at the Port of Prince Rupert.

The plan’s research was completed with the assistance of AECOM, a global leader in infrastructure planning and development. It considered capital costs, operating efficiencies, optimization of construction sequencing to minimize disruptions to ongoing operations, and mitigation of human receptor impacts (air quality, noise, and lighting) as criteria to determine the feasibility and sequencing of container terminal potential at the Port of Prince Rupert.

“Conducting this work ensures we have a clear understanding of the future potential for terminal development and contributes to a vision for the future of our container business to respond to the growing market demand for capacity at the Port of Prince Rupert,” said Shaun Stevenson, President and CEO of the Prince Rupert Port Authority. “The terminal development potential identified in the study ensures that we can accommodate the short, medium, and long term supply chain needs of Canadian exporters while continuing to provide the unparalleled reach, reliability, and speed shippers have come to expect at the Port of Prince Rupert.”

The master planning concluded the potential for further expansion of Fairview Terminal and the development of a second container terminal at the Port of Prince Rupert’s South Kaien Island site. This second terminal features a capacity of 2.5 million TEUs and was identified as the next phase of terminal expansion for the container business at the Port of Prince Rupert following the expansion of Fairview Container Terminal announced with DP World in 2018, increasing its current capacity from 1.35 million TEUs to 1.8 million TEUs by 2022. Both the current Fairview Terminal and South Kaien sites are in close proximity to expanding export logistics operations on Ridley Island, and will fully integrate with these operations following PRPA’s construction of the Fairview-Ridley Connector Corridor scheduled for the end of 2020.

“DP World continues to invest in terminal capacity, including advancing our current expansion project at Fairview Terminal,” said Maksim Mihic, General Manager of DP World (Canada) Inc. “We fully support the Prince Rupert Port Authority’s development vision which enables Canadian trade and improves the balance between imports and exports through the northern corridor.” 

“The Port of Prince Rupert continues to be an important part of CN’s supply chains to and from international markets,” said JJ Ruest, President and Chief Executive Officer at CN. “This strategic port provides a rail connection to key markets and its continued expansion will further solidify the port’s place as a world class gateway. Our recent record capital investments further underpin our commitment to getting Canadian natural resources and consumer products to markets safely and efficiently and the Prince Rupert gateway is key to that strategy.”

The Port of Prince Rupert is among the fastest growing ports in North America and handled a record 1 million TEUs and 27 million tonnes of cargo in 2018.

“Our planned container terminal capacity expansion ensures Canadian shippers will be able to meet their supply chain needs well into the future and Canada will be well-served in meeting its objectives of growing trade in the Asia Pacific region,” added Stevenson.

It is expected that the Port of Prince Rupert will become Canada’s second largest port in the next 5 years.