The Province of British Columbia , through its ministries of transportation and economic development, undertook a ports strategy study to provide a comprehensive understanding of the competitive situation and outlook for B.C. ports. The goal of the study was to recommend a strategic direction for the Province with respect to identifying opportunities for the Province to facilitate, along with its key partners, the sustainable development and growth of BC’s key trading ports over the next 20 years. Seaport Consultants Canada Inc. associated with Colledge Transportation Consulting Inc. and Seabulk Systems Inc. for this work.

Seaport’s role in the study comprised:

• Projections of traffic growth on the West Coast of North America and in British Columbia ports with a particular focus on containers.

• Assessment of the competitiveness of British Columbia container ports with major container ports on the US West Coast.

• A review of container handling technology and automation, and its implications for inter-port competitiveness and the development of British Columbia ports.

• A review and projection of bulk, break-bulk and container shipping on the West Coast.

• Participation in workshops and development of port profile and overall strategy papers.

• Preparation of a multi-modal action plan for development of port and related infrastructure in British Columbia.