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Yesterday, Port Metro Vancouver (PMV) launched a long-term container capacity improvement program designed to boost container-handling capacity to meet future growth and Canadian international trade demand.

Container traffic through Canada's Pacific Gateway is expected to double during the next 10 to 15 years and nearly triple by 2030. Without “substantive improvements,” a capacity gap could emerge at the port as early as 2017, PMV officials said in a prepared statement.

The port estimates it will need 4 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of additional annual capacity to meet forecasted demand by 2030. PMV officials are evaluating initial infrastructure improvements at Roberts Bank, including a proposed multi-berth marine container terminal that would boost annual capacity by more than 2 million TEUs.

“Roberts Bank is very well positioned to accommodate future trade growth because it's an established route that offers excellent access to important lower mainland markets, as well as major North American transportation corridors,” said PMV President and Chief Executive Officer Robin Silvester.

The port — which is served by CN and Canadian Pacific — is preparing a seven-round, six-year public consultation process that would take place between January 2011 and December 2016.