Last Friday, DP World officially launched the construction of the Duke Point Terminal expansion. The project is supported by Snuneymuxw First Nation’s free, prior and informed consent, and is supported by a 50-year lease agreement between DP World and the Port of Nanaimo. Once completed, the terminal’s berth length will nearly double from 182 metres to 325 metres, while cargo-handling capacity will expand to 280,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) annually. This will enable Duke Point Terminal to serve larger international vessels, provide improved services for importers and exporters, and facilitate smoother regional and international trade. Additionally, the project establishes a robust short-sea shipping connection between Nanaimo and Vancouver, improving trade routes to key Asian markets.
The terminal expansion will also feature additional storage capacities designed to accommodate a wider array of cargo, including a dedicated 26,000 square-foot covered storage area for pulp products. DP World is also replacing the existing diesel-powered quay crane with two fully electric cranes.
The project was funded through combined public and private investments, including $46.2 million from the federal government’s National Trade Corridors Fund (NTCF) and $15 million from the Province of British Columbia under the Regional Port Enhancement Program, part of BC’s Economic Recovery Plan.
