Vancouver Port has completed the rollout of a centralised scheduling system that is part of the Active Vessel Traffic Management Programme introduced in 2023.

The port authority recently announced that the system reached full coverage after adding the Fraser River, Roberts Bank, and the English Bay anchorage area.

The platform coordinates ship movements for more than 3,000 port calls each year at 29 marine terminals and has, since its launch, improved cargo flow through the port.

According to the announcement, deep-sea vessel traffic passing through the Second Narrows increased by 56% in 2024 compared to the previous year.

The Second Narrows is a narrow section of Burrard Inlet in Vancouver, crossed by a rail bridge that facilitates both vessel and train movements.

The port adds that the system has also enabled Canadian National Railway to increase the average weekly train count serving North Shore terminals by 10%, reducing freight delays and improving throughput.

A report by the Journal of Commerce noted that the port faces navigational challenges, including confined waters and changing river flow conditions.

With the centralised scheduling system, nearly 450 port stakeholders will have a “port-wide view” of vessel arrivals, including vessel operators, terminal operators and national railroads.