Vancouver – Clear Seas has unveiled its latest report: Vessel Traffic Forecast to 2040 for Canada’s Pacific Region, a forward-looking study that offers the most comprehensive picture to date of how ship traffic is expected to evolve along Canada’s West Coast.
As Canada focuses on diversifying its trade partners, momentum is building to increase energy exports by ship and to fast-track major infrastructure approvals. The impact of these proposals on the number of international vessels calling at Canada’s Pacific ports would be a rise of as much as 60 percent by 2040, if all currently proposed projects proceed as planned – or more, if new projects are proposed and completed.
This growth is largely driven by expanded LNG exports and increased containerized freight. The report forecasts an increase from approximately 3,186 vessels per year today to over 5,299.
“Understanding how vessel traffic is likely to evolve is essential to ensuring our marine infrastructure, safety systems, and environmental safeguards can keep pace. This report equips decision-makers at every level with the insights needed to navigate a period of unprecedented maritime change,” said Paul Blomerus, Executive Director of Clear Seas.
A critical tool for planning and preparedness
This research was developed to address a key data gap: the absence of a unified, coast-wide view of future vessel activity. Drawing on publicly available data and regulatory filings, the report brings together traffic projections from more than a dozen major infrastructure and resource projects, offering a shared foundation to inform marine planning, risk mitigation, and investment decisions.
The report finds that tanker traffic, particularly from LNG projects, could increase more than sixfold, reaching over 1,800 calls annually. The North Coast of British Columbia could see vessel traffic grow by more than 200 percent, while escort tug movements in the Salish Sea are expected to multiply tenfold. A significant portion of this growth is projected to occur outside the jurisdiction of Canada’s major port authorities, highlighting the need for collaborative approaches to managing impacts.
The full report is now available (in both English and French) at www.clearseas.org
(Photo of LNG carrier from Clear Seas)