Port of Vancouver enables record trade in first half of 2025, supporting Canada and Canadians during global uncertainty

Press Release

Sep 26, 2025

Vancouver, B.C.: The Port of Vancouver moved record volumes of Canadian trade in the first six months of 2025, delivering vast quantities of made-in-Canada grain, energy and fertilizer exports to diverse world markets against a challenging geopolitical backdrop.

The port’s mid-year cargo statistics show a 13% increase in cargo moved between January and June 2025, compared to the same six-month period last year—with a record of more than 85 million metric tonnes (MMT) of cargo handled. Port of Vancouver terminals handled nearly 20% more international trade than a year ago, as surging exports of Canadian crude, canola oil, grain, potash and coal to markets worldwide. Containerized trade over the first half of 2025 remained steady, while cruise and auto volumes eased following record performances in 2024.

“Canadians and their businesses depend on the Port of Vancouver to buy and sell the products they manufacture, farm, mine and stock their shelves with,” said Peter Xotta, President and CEO of the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority.

“As Canadians navigate a moment in time like no other, I want to acknowledge the port community and our supply chain partners for rising to the occasion and moving record trade volumes so far this year. The Port of Vancouver has a critical role to play in meeting the moment as Canadian businesses seek to sell more of their products to more customers outside of the U.S.”

The Port of Vancouver is Canada’s largest and most diversified port—already connecting Canada with more than 170 global economies and moving as much cargo as Canada’s next five largest ports combined. More than 80% of the trade through the Port of Vancouver is Canadian trade with countries other than the U.S.

Moving Canadian commodities to new and growing markets

Bulk exports of Canadian commodities were strong in the first half of the year, including record volumes of crude oil exports, and robust volumes of canola oil, grain and potash exports from Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.

• Crude oil exports surged by 365% to almost 12 MMT, with Trans Mountain’s expanded pipeline and terminal coming into operation in May 2024. Approximately 60% of these record volumes went to China, while other markets including the U.S., South Korea, Singapore and Japan all surpassed their full-year 2024 volumes early in the first half of 2025.
• Canola oil exports were up 72% to 0.7 MMT in the first six months of 2025, as the port connected Canadian producers with new overseas markets and helped offset lower U.S. and Chinese demand. Export markets for canola oil grown throughout Western Canada expanded from four in 2024 (China, U.S., South Korea, Peru) to 12 in the first half of 2025, with new and returning markets including Belgium, Malaysia and Mexico.

Port operators also moved near record volumes of bulk exports of Canadian grain, fertilizer (potash, sulphur) and coal. Grain was up 8% to reach its second highest half year on volumes on record (behind 2021), including wheat up 16% and canola seed up 12%. Increased volumes of canola seed went to Japan, while new markets such as Mexico, Netherlands, France, Bangladesh, Bulgaria helped offset the impact of Chinese tariffs.

Potash was up 26% to reach its second highest half-year result on record after 2019 as the fertilizer product recovered from a slowdown in 2024, while sulphur was up 5% and coal down 2%.

“For decades, and prior to tariff threats, along with our partners we’ve been working hard to grow trade capacity to meet demand. Today, our growth plans and partnerships are purpose built to help Canada rise to the occasion and get made-in-Canada products to more customers,” said Xotta.

“We all win when we work together. For example, we’re using new tech and tools to facilitate thousands of ship movements a year—allowing us to improve visibility in how goods are moving through the port, better coordinate with supply chain partners and add capacity. Our Active Vessel Traffic Management Program, combined with ongoing collaboration, has meant the port has been able to smoothly integrate Trans Mountain’s expanded volumes over the past year while also enabling CN to increase rail service to the busy North Shore trade area by 10%.”

Container sector stable, unaffected by U.S. tariff slowdown

The Port of Vancouver’s four container terminals moved 1.88 million 20-foot equivalent units (or TEUs) at mid-2025, with mid-year volume growth of 6% driven largely by Canadian trade. It was the second highest volume of containers moved at mid-year, after 2021’s record of 1.94 million TEU.

“Containerized trade—like the Canadian economy—has shown remarkable strength and resilience so far this year in the face of U.S. tariffs and global uncertainty,” said Xotta.

“More and more, we are seeing Canadian businesses turn to containers to securely trade goods with world markets. With containerized trade through the port on a long-term growth trajectory, Roberts Bank Terminal 2 is uniquely positioned to deliver for Canada. We are advancing towards a final investment decision soon for the nation-building project, which will unlock an additional $100 billion a year in West Coast trade capacity and enable Canadian businesses to win even greater market share overseas.”

Auto imports and cruise passenger visits ease from record years

The Port of Vancouver’s cruise sector had just over 130 cruise ship calls and 500,000 passenger visits between March 5 and June 30—down compared to 2024’s record-breaking year, but still strong as Canada Place cements itself as one of North America’s premier homeports.

“Canada Place is now regularly seeing upwards of 300 cruise ship calls and 1.2 million passenger visits every year—injecting around $1 billion into the economy and supporting jobs and local businesses throughout the region,” said Xotta. “We are honoured to partner with countless cruise and destination partners to ensure Canada Place remains a premier homeport serving the popular Alaska market—together we are making Vancouver cruise shine and creating jobs for Canadians.”

Each cruise ship visit to the Canada Place cruise terminal at the Port of Vancouver injects about $3 million into the local economy according to an Economic Impact Study released by the port authority in 2024.

Auto volumes eased 3% to 241,000 units, down slightly compared to last year’s record and the third highest volume for the port. Nearly 100% of Canada’s Asian-manufactured vehicle imports arrive via the Port of Vancouver, with work to optimize the Annacis Auto Terminal and increase its capacity by one-third being completed earlier this year.

Foreign breakbulk volumes were down 8%, due to forestry exports continuing a trend towards containers and metal imports falling slightly.

Domestic volumes—largely comprised of local movements of logs, sand and gravel—decreased.

Significant investment being made in gateway

The port authority continues to work closely with industry and government to plan and deliver investment in the gateway to boost reliability and capacity and ensure the port can continue to support Canadian businesses and their trade needs. This includes:

• Procurement for the landmass and wharf is now underway for Roberts Bank Terminal 2, which will unlock $100 billion in additional annual trade capacity on Canada’s west coast and create tens of thousands of jobs
• Planning is underway to dredge near Second Narrows to improve shipping efficiency in Burrard Inlet, including facilitating the potential for vessels calling at Trans Mountain’s Westridge Marine Terminal to more fully load
• Construction is underway on the Holdom overpass in Burnaby to enhance rail service to the North Shore, while improving traffic flow and safety for the community
• Active Vessel Traffic Management is expanding to the Fraser River and Roberts Bank trade areas this year, meaning it will soon coordinate and optimize ship traffic across the entire port
• DP World Fraser Surrey recently opened a new facility that allows it export approximately 1 MMT of canola oil a year
• Optimization of the Annacis Auto Terminal completed earlier this year boosted its capacity by one-third
• Work is underway to upgrade Westshore terminal so it can export 4.5 MMT of potash annually
• Trans Mountain’s expanded terminal and pipeline have significantly increased crude oil export capacity since operations commenced in spring 2024
• The Centerm Expansion Project boosted capacity at the DP World Vancouver terminal by more than 60% to 1.5 million TEU by increasing its footprint by about 15%
• Upgrades to Richardson bulk grain terminal’s railyard recently increased annual capacity from 6 MMT to 7 MMT
• Cascadia bulk grain terminal expanded its railyard to allow for assembly of 2,600m-long trains onsite
• Pacific Coast Terminals completed an expansion of its glycol facilities last year, increasing its export capacity by more than 50% to 1.25 MMT per year

Background

• Overall cargo volumes increased 13% to 85.4 MMT, compared to the first half of 2024, including international trade up 18% to 73.5 MMT. Domestic volumes down 12% to 11.9 MMT.
• Container quantities increased 6% to 1.88 million 20-foot equivalent units, or TEU, including imports (laden inbound) up 4% to 963,000 TEU and exports (laden outbound) down 1% to 406,000 TEU
• Bulk liquid tonnage up 133% to reach a record 16.4 MMT. Overall petroleum product volumes increased 157% to 14.8 MMT (including crude oil exports up 365% to 11.6 MMT), while canola oil exports increased 72% to 0.7 MMT.
• Bulk dry cargo increased 2% to 48.9 MMT, including grain up 8% to 15.3 MMT, fertilizer up 20% to 7.0 MMT and coal down 2% to 20.7 MMT
• Auto volumes decreased 3% at almost 241,000 units
• Cruise passenger visits decreased 9% to 504,000, while cruise ship visits were down 3% to 131
• Breakbulk cargo was down 15% to 6.8 MMT, including foreign breakbulk down 8% to 0.9 MMT, forestry exports down 16% to 0.3 MMT and metals imports down 5% to 0.5 MMT

More information

About the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority and the Port of Vancouver

The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority is the arm’s-length federal agency that stewards the lands and waters that make up the Port of Vancouver, alongside the enduring stewardship of First Nations. As a Canada Port Authority, it is accountable to the federal Minister of Transport and operates pursuant to the Canada Marine Act. The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority’s purpose is to enable Canada’s trade through the Port of Vancouver by being reliable and innovative, while protecting the environment. The port authority is structured as a non-share corporation, is financially self-sufficient and does not rely on tax dollars for operations. Revenues come from port terminals and tenants who lease port lands, and from port users who pay various fees such as harbour dues. Profits are reinvested in port operating services and infrastructure.

The Port of Vancouver is Canada’s gateway to diverse markets, enabling trade of approximately $350 billion every year with 170 countries. Located on the southwest coast of British Columbia in Canada, its 29 major deep-water terminals and more than 1,000 tenants move goods and people across five sectors (auto, bulk, breakbulk, container and cruise). The port is made up of approximately 16,000 ha of water, 1,500 ha of land and 350 km of shoreline, extending across Burrard Inlet, Fraser River and Roberts Bank. It borders 16 municipalities and intersects the traditional territories and treaty lands of more than 35 Coast Salish First Nations. The Port of Vancouver is the fourth largest port in North America by tonnage and handles almost as much cargo as Canada’s next five largest ports combined. Port operations sustain more than 132,000 supply chain and related jobs across Canada.

Media contact

Alex Munro
Media relations advisor
phone_android604.340.8617
emailAlex.Munro@portvancouver.com

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