Within the port, Vancouver Port Corporation (VPC) operates the Canada Place Cruise Ship Terminal and the Ballantyne Terminal with the assistance of a cruise vessel service contractor. VPC contracts the services to terminal operators for multiple-year periods under a competitive bidding process.

In 1994, prior to the tender for the next period, VPC retained Seaport to estimate the costs of stevedoring at the Port of Vancouver's two cruise terminals. The project involved detailed examination of manpower, equipment, management and support staff, and overhead costs. Seaport examined the characteristics of each ship in the trade and estimated the personnel and equipment necessary for terminal services. We used the schedule of vessel calls to estimate the aggregate needs for the cruise season. We also modelled the overall financial performance of the cruise ship operations and determined the profitability of the services.