Shipping and Transportation

Moving people and products through B.C.’s coastal waters is a significant industry on the B.C. coast and is a major contributor to coastal economies. A significant portion of Canada's grain, coal, lumber, and industrial products are shipped through the major port cities of Kitimat and Prince Rupert. All of these shipping industries require supporting industries like tugs, port infrastructures, and ship servicing.

Prince Rupert is one of the deepest ice free natural harbours in all of North America, and is the closest to the major markets of the East. Kitimat is also an important port and plans are being developed for it to be a key transit point for oil and gas imports and exports between the tar sands and the US and Asian markets.

In 2003, about 3,000 commercial vessels passed through Pncima. The Prince Rupert port is currently expanding to include container shipping. This means that over the next 15 years the volume of containers shipped through Pncima is estimated to increase 300% and the volume of bulk cargo ships will increase 25%¹ . Some shipping imposes environmental costs such as hydrocarbon pollution of water and air, bilge and ballast dumping, air pollution, waste disposal and wildlife disturbance.

A new report, prepared by the David Suzuki Foundation outlines major sectors of the shipping industry, providing an overview of their associated operations, key sources of marine pollution, and industry trends. The report discusses these impacts on on marine ecosystems offers recommendations for operational reforms and sustainable development in the shipping sector. Click to download>>


PncimaMatters Concerns
The potential of spills from oil and gas exports combined with the increased cargo traffic , presents a real threat to Pncima’s ecology. It is clear that managing the expansion of our port facilities and the growth of the marine transportation sector needs to be examined in the context of an integrated strategy, which considers impacts cumulatively with all the other sectors and the health of the ocean. Click to read recommendations from Cleaning Up Our Ocean report. These are aimed at stimulating discussion about shipping in Pncima.

1. Cleaning Up Our Ocean: A report on ocean pollution from shipping-related sources in the Pacific North Coast Integrated Management Area (Pncima) on the British Columbia coast. Vancouver, BC: David Suzuki Foundation Michelle M., Koshure N. (2009) Download>>