Vancouver, BC – The Minister of Transport, the Honourable Omar Alghabra, announced that the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority will work with partners to design, by March 31, 2022, a new collaborative system to manage marine vessel traffic and optimize the supply chain flow for this strategic gateway.

Once implemented, this system will:strengthen marine safety by reducing congestion and actively managing marine traffic in the busiest, most confined waters of the port; improve the efficiency and reliability of the flow of goods through this strategic gateway for all supply chain partners; reduce environmental impacts, including noise impacts in Southern Resident killer whale habitat, by limiting unnecessary vessel movements; and reduce negative social impacts(like ambient noise and light pollution) by reducing overall anchorage usage in Southern British Columbia and implementing a Code of Conduct for vessels at anchorage.

The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority will work with partners to develop the implementation plan for the new system. This plan will include approaches to policies, procedures, practices, incentives, technologies, information, and data-sharing needed to deliver a traffic management system that creates benefits for all partners. This approach will reflect best practices seen in some leading ports around the world.

Consultation will be a key part of the process, and the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority and Transport Canada will engage with the port, other partners, Indigenous groups, and local stakeholders in the development of this new system.

The department will be available to provide technical expertise and help ensure key objectives are achieved. Transport Canada will also consider any potential regulatory changes that would support the development of this new system, and will ensure the outcomes of this work are reflected in the Ports Modernization initiative currently underway. (Photo VFPA)