Vessel Traffic Forecast to 2040 for Canada’s Pacific Region

Clear Seas has commissioned Westmar Advisors to conduct a study to determine traffic projections as a result of major resource and terminal expansion projects in Canada’s Pacific region.

Within Canada’s Pacific region, multiple resource and terminal expansion projects with a marine shipping component have been approved or are currently under review by the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) or the Province of British Columbia. The changes in shipping traffic following approval of multiple projects could have a significant impact on the maritime shipping landscape over the coming decades.

The goal of this work is to provide information about the potential increases to support maritime sector participants in adapting to a rapidly evolving marine landscape.

In addition to creating vessel traffic projections for the Pacific region, this project will also document the anticipated changes to the maritime response and operational environment from potential, recommended or legally required conditions to project approval for the identified major development projects.

While the assessment to be completed through this project is limited to projects in B.C. and vessel traffic in the Pacific region, the objectives include developing an assessment methodology that could be applied to potential future work (to be conducted independent to this contract), including scenarios based on likelihood of project occurrence, projects entering the decommissioning phase, and applications in other Canadian maritime regions (Atlantic, Arctic, Great Lakes and St. Lawrence regions).