Deltaport expansion project moves forward

Deltaport expansion project moves forward Port Metro Vancouver, a combined Canadian authority governing the Vancouver, Frasier River, and North Frasier ports, reported Monday that work to expand operations at its busiest container terminal continues on schedule.
   The $400 million Deltaport Third Berth Project, begun in January 2007, will add a new berth and create almost 50 acres of new container space at the terminal when completed in late 2009. The project, which also includes improvements to the main egress highway to the facility, will increase annual capacity at the Deltaport Terminal by 450,000 TEUs.
   Additional components of the plan include dredging to increase draft clearance in the channel serving the terminal, the construction of a new tugboat moorage basin and the additional of more than four miles of rail track within the terminal.
   The port authority said the tug basin has been completed and is being used by tug operators.

A Sept. 1 aerial view of Deltaport construction. (Photo: Port Metro Vancouver)

   Major landfill construction has been completed and as areas of the newly created property are ready, they are turned over to terminal operator TSI Terminal Systems to begin construction of terminal infrastructure such as drainage, water, paving and lighting. TSI recently awarded its first contract for the installation of underground services.
   A second phase of the Deltaport expansion project, still in the planning stages, will see the creation of a separate three-berth terminal to boost Deltaport annual capacity from 900,000 TEUs to 3.2 million TEUs.