Can Canadian ports compete? Paper examines future of container traffic in Canada

OTTAWA (August 9, 2001) — Canada’s container ports face choppy waters if they continue to position themselves as a low-cost alternative to their U.S. counterparts, according to a report released today by Statistics Canada.

The report, “The Future for Canada-U.S. Container Port Rivalries,” explores how Canadian ports might fare as the competitive nature of the ocean carrier industry evolves. It said Canadian ports will need to make new investments in port and intermodal infrastructure in order to attract container traffic.

The assessment includes a review of the ocean container shipping industry, the North America container market, and competing ports in the United States. It draws on data from two sources, Statistics Canada’s marine international origin/destination database and the U.S. Department of Transport Maritime Administration’s Annual Import Export Waterborne Databank, which is based on Journal of Commerce P.I.E.R.S. data.

The research paper is available free at Statistics Canada’s Web site.