The following message was issued by the Canadian International Freight Forwarders Association (CIFFA) on Thursday, November 18, 2021:
“The Vancouver gateway is experiencing significantly disrupted rail and truck movement due to widespread flooding throughout the Metro Vancouver and Fraser Valley regions. Despite these impacts, marine terminals at the Port of Vancouver are still operating.
Transport Canada is working closely with emergency services to ensure public safety and to assess infrastructure damage to impacted areas. Damage assessments have been hindered by logistical and safety concerns due to evacuation orders issued in multiple communities.
CN and CP main rail corridors are not currently operational between Vancouver and Kamloops due to washouts and landslides. Both CN and CP crews are clearing debris and conducting repairs at multiple sites with progress being made in restoring some impacted rail sections. A timeline for fully restored rail operations to the west coast is currently unavailable.
Vessel delays and heightened anchorage demand due to disrupted terminal operations are expected. Vessels in port can be viewed on the home page of the PortVan eHub app by selecting “Vessels in Port.”
Flooding impacts on highways remain severe and widespread throughout southwestern B.C. All main highway routes to the Metro Vancouver area are closed. Resumption of traffic is expected to take two to three days. Damage assessments of roadway infrastructure are ongoing.”
For more information, please call David Lychek, Director – Ocean & Air Services at (905) 882-4880, ext. 1207.
