DP World starts work on expanding Canada port terminal

Dubai ports operator DP World has started construction on the Duke Point Terminal expansion in western Canada, enhancing Vancouver Island’s connectivity and trade with international markets. 

Once completed, the terminal’s berth length will nearly double from 182m to 325m, while cargo handling capacity will expand to 280,000 twenty-foot equivalent units annually, the state-owned company said in a statement on Tuesday.

The expansion is being undertaken in collaboration with Snuneymuxw First Nation, located on the eastern coast of Vancouver Island and the Port of Nanaimo.

The project will allow the Duke Point Terminal to serve larger international vessels and offer improved services for importers and exporters.

The terminal expansion will also feature additional storage capacities, including a 26,000 square foot covered storage area for pulp products.   

DP World and the Port of Nanaimo have signed a 50-year lease for the project, which is being funded through a public-private partnership. 

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The Canadian government’s National Trade Corridors Fund has provided funding of $46 million, while $15 million has been granted by the Province of British Columbia.

DP World’s Canadian operations include terminals in Vancouver, Nanaimo, Fraser Surrey, Prince Rupert and Saint John.