Flooding and landslides in British Columbia have cut off all rail lines to the Port of Vancouver, prompting officials to warn about upcoming vessel delays and terminal problems on November 16 Tuesday.
After severe rain hammered the province and the Pacific Northwest, significant segments of the CN (NYSE: CNI) and Canadian Pacific (NYSE: CP) rail lines supplying the port – Canada’s most prominent — were shut down. The effects will most likely be felt throughout the Canadian supply chain, causing delays in anything from container shipments to bulk commodities.
“Disruptions to terminal operations are expected to cause vessel delays and increased anchoring demand,” port spokesperson Matti Polychronis noted in an email. “We’re working together with our terminal operators, railways, and all levels of government to evaluate the effects of these delays on terminal operations and establish a recovery strategy,” said the company.
The port recorded 32 vessels at anchor as of Tuesday night.
Wildfires caused yet another massive disruption to rail operations in Vancouver this summer. It resulted in huge backlogs that lasted weeks.
The problem arises as Vancouver deals with a record amount of freight. For the first six months of 2021, the port reported a 24% rise in container volumes and a 7% increase in overall cargo volumes.
