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Canada will integrate three port
authorities in British Columbia in a moved aimed
at strengthening the role of gateway ports in
the burgeoning international trade, notably in
its extending its outreach in the Asia Pacific
region, including Malaysia.
The new integrated port authority to be called
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority is expected to
be in place by early next year despite some
reservations that the move could undermine the
role of ports in domestic trade.
With Asia -Pacific container traffic projected
to increase by 300 percent over the next 15
years, ports in Canada, especially those in the
province of British Columbia which serve as
gateway to North America trade, are well
positioned to seize the opportunities from the
expansion in the trade.
A consultant’s report on the merger, “Port
Amalgamation: Creating Conditions for Success”,
noted of the potential benefits of amalgamation
include land use planning, marketing and
operational efficiencies.
Pooling of financial resources, influence and
leadership are further possible benefits listed
in the report
The Fraser River port operators however are
worried that the bigger agency will focus on the
Asia Pacific Trade at the expense of the local
concerns although the go ahead from the Federal
Government is expected as early as next week.
Gordon Houston, president and chief executive
officer of the Vancouver Port Authority had this
to say.
“It’s has been talked about for 30 years, but
it’s one of those ideas whose time has come.
Mainly because of the growth in business we’re
all experiencing. If you look at our projected
figures for growth over the next 15 or 20 years,
there is no port in B.C. that can handle that
alone”.
The Report, commissioned by the three port
authorities, touched on the labor and congestion
issues that have dogged the Port of Vancouver in
recent years.
A provincial ports strategy, released in 2005,
calls for B.C. Ports, including Prince Rupert,
to increase their share of Asia-Pacific
container traffic from the current 10% to 17% by
2020.That increase and corresponding hikes the
bulk traffic could pump an additional C$6.6
billion a year into the Canadian Economy.
But hitting those targets requires “significant”
additional terminal, rail and road capacity,
says the consultant’s report. Those investments
fall under the Federal Government’s 2006
Asia-Pacific gateway and Corridor Initiative, of
which the port merger is a key element.
The amalgamation presents an opportunity to make
Canada port authorities more modern, efficient,
competitive and responsive to emerging global
opportunities and challenges..
Fraser River Port Authority, North Fraser Port
Authority and Vancouver Port Authority will join
forces under the name Vancouver Fraser Port
Authority by early 2008.
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