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Yesterday, the Montreal Port Authority (MPA) unveiled Vision 2020, a long-range plan aimed at increasing the port's capacity and developing new markets by 2020.

The authority will spend about $2.5 billion to implement the plan, which will be completed in four phases. The plan calls for upgrading existing infrastructure to increase efficiency and optimize capacity; redeveloping bulk and container storage areas; building new infrastructure; and expanding container capacity to 4.5 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs). Last year, the port handled 1.4 million TEUs.

"By 2020, container traffic is expected to grow by nearly 7 percent a year," said MPA President and Chief Executive Patrice Pelletier in a prepared statement. "We must act right away to obtain a large share of this traffic."

The port operates its own rail network and is served by Canadian National Railway Co. and Canadian Pacific Railway. The Class Is provide regular double-stack service between the port and Toronto, Detroit and Chicago, and additional double-stack service to Vancouver, British Columbia.