Overview
The Port of Vancouver is home to 29 major marine terminals, three Class 1 railroads, a regional short line railroad, and a full range of facilities and services that handle cargo and passengers across five different business sectors:
- Automobile
- Breakbulk and Project Cargo
- Bulk
- Container
- Cruise
Cargo terminals are operated and managed by independent third-party operators. The Canada Place cruise terminal at the Port of Vancouver is owned by the port authority, and we engage SSA Marine to manage terminal operations during the cruise season. These terminals, along with the railways, trucking companies, and other shipping and logistics companies that service the port, help move approximately $300 billion in goods to and from Canada each year.
Moving cargo through the port
As the port authority, we don’t decide what goods can be imported and exported. We also aren’t involved in shipping, tracking, or transloading the goods that move through port lands and waters.
For questions about shipping and tracking goods, please contact your shipping line or freight forwarder.
For questions about importing or exporting goods, please contact:
Automobiles
The Port of Vancouver receives nearly 100% of all Asian-manufactured imports destined for the Canadian market and serves more than a dozen of the world’s top auto manufacturers.
Breakbulk and project cargo
The Port of Vancouver serves as the Pacific Northwest’s major consolidation centre for breakbulk cargo such as forest products, steel and machinery.
Bulk
Dry and liquid bulk cargoes account for more than two-thirds of the annual tonnage moved through the Port of Vancouver.
Container
Shipping containers are a standard and cost-effective option for moving cargo such as consumer goods, grain, and lumber.
Container shipping lines serving the Port of Vancouver
Other container facilities
Cruise
The Canada Place cruise terminal at the Port of Vancouver welcomes over 1 million passengers and 300 ship calls annually. Owned and operated by the port authority, this three-berth terminal can service up to four luxury cruise ships at a time. In 2023, the Canada Place cruise terminal was recognized as North America’s Leading Cruise Port by World Travel Awards and North America’s Best Cruise Terminal in the World Cruise Awards. The terminal was also named as one of Cruise Critic’s Top 5 U.S. & Canada Cruise Destinations in 2019.