Quorum Corporation has reported that Western Canada's grain export sector closed the 2025-26 crop year on a strong note, with year-to-date shipments from western port terminals reaching 45.1 million tonnes, up 8% from the previous year and 8% above the three-year average. Growth was led by the West Coast gateways, where shipments through Vancouver increased 8% to 31.9 million tonnes and Prince Rupert rose 10% to 5.4 million tonnes, reinforcing Canada's position as a reliable supplier to global grain markets. The strong performance comes at a time when global grain shipments have fallen 8% year over year due to escalating attacks on shipping and port infrastructure in the Black Sea region, highlighting the growing importance of Western Canada's efficient rail and port supply chain in supporting international food security.

Domtar has announced the indefinite idling of operations at its Howe Sound Pulp and Paper mill in Port Mellon and the associated Bayview Fibre chipping facility, a move that will affect approximately 400 employees and mark the end of more than a century of pulp production on British Columbia's Sunshine Coast. The company cited reduced demand from Asia, historically low global pulp prices, and declining availability of affordable domestic fibre as key factors behind the decision, with employees expected to remain on the job until Oct. 19. Union leaders and local residents have warned of significant economic impacts for the region, while BC Forests Minister Ravi Parmar described the closure as a reflection of the severe challenges facing the province's pulp sector, noting that inflation-adjusted pulp prices are approaching their lowest level in nearly 100 years. The provincial government has pledged support for affected workers and communities as the industry faces growing competitive pressure from lower-cost global pulp producers.

Dutch cargo vessel MV Thamesborg has successfully completed a transit of Canada's Northwest Passage nearly a year after running aground on an uncharted shoal along the route last year.  The 172-meter (564-foot) Wagenborg vessel left Matane, Quebec, on Aug. 8 and is scheduled to arrive in Onsan, South Korea, on Sept. 3, according to AIS data. Its transit of the Northwest Passage took around five days, from Aug. 13 to Aug. 18. and included transiting through Franklin Strait, where it ran aground on Sept. 6, 2025. The vessel struck an uncharted shoal, damaging its hull and several ballast tanks and causing water ingress. No one was injured and no pollution was reported at the time. The successful voyage comes amid an active 2026 Northwest Passage season, with several expedition cruise ships also operating along the route, highlighting growing commercial and tourism interest in Arctic shipping corridors.

The Port of Montreal Contrecœur Expansion Project has reached a significant milestone with the start of in-water construction work, marking the transition from site preparation to development of the future container terminal. The work includes construction of a working jetty, terminal wharf, and related marine infrastructure, with dredging scheduled to begin in 2027. Once completed, the Contrecœur terminal is expected to handle up to 1.15 million TEUs annually by 2030, strengthening supply chain capacity, supporting trade growth, and enhancing the Port of Montreal's role as a key Canadian gateway. The project is expected to generate more than 10,000 jobs annually at full capacity and will include new container handling facilities, rail connections, and truck access infrastructure.

Metro Vancouver’s ongoing labour dispute with the Greater Vancouver Regional District Employees’ Union could delay the planned September dredging of Burrard Inlet, a project intended to deepen the waterway beneath the Second Narrows Ironworkers Memorial Bridge to accommodate larger oil tankers. Unionized outside workers have established picket lines at two critical water main projects in Vancouver and North Vancouver that must be completed before dredging can begin. The union, which has been without a collective agreement for 19 months, says it is prepared to escalate job action until a new contract is reached, while emphasizing it does not seek to disrupt major infrastructure projects. The dredging project has federal government support and is considered an important component of increasing export capacity out of the Westridge marine terminal.

The Government of Canada has announced what it describes as the largest clean energy investment in North American history, with nearly $70 billion in combined projects to expand hydroelectric generation and transmission infrastructure in Labrador. The initiative includes up to $10 billion in federal financial support, upgrades to the Churchill Falls generating station, development of the 2,700 MW Gull Island hydroelectric project, and new transmission infrastructure to support growing electricity demand and critical minerals development in the Labrador Trough. The agreement, signed by Hydro-Québec and Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro, is expected to create thousands of jobs, strengthen Canada's clean energy capacity, support Indigenous and regional economic development, and help advance the country's goal of doubling electricity grid capacity by 2050. The federal government is also investing nearly $20 million in feasibility studies for mining-enabling infrastructure aimed at unlocking future resource development opportunities.

Canada’s largest and most powerful icebreaker, CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent, reached the North Pole on August 16 during its 2026 Arctic deployment, marking a significant milestone in Canada’s northern operations. The vessel is supporting efforts to map and define the country’s continental shelf under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea by collecting high-resolution geoscience and hydrographic data in the Arctic. The mission underscores Canada’s ability to operate in one of the world’s most challenging environments, while strengthening Arctic sovereignty, supporting scientific research, and reinforcing the Canadian Coast Guard’s year-round presence in northern waters.

The US Army Corps of Engineers has issued the federal permit authorizing construction of the Louisiana International Terminal (LIT), a major deepwater container port development on the Lower Mississippi River that Port NOLA describes as the only new greenfield container port currently under development in the United States. Designed to accommodate the largest container vessels serving global trade, the project will provide direct connections to major rail and highway networks, strengthening Gulf Coast trade capacity and US supply chain resilience. Developed through a public-private partnership involving Port NOLA, Terminal Investment Limited (TiL), and Ports America, the terminal is expected to support economic growth, expand export capacity, create thousands of jobs, and enhance the competitiveness of US maritime trade.

Venezuela's efforts to increase crude oil exports are being constrained by aging port infrastructure, with tankers waiting up to 30 days to load cargoes due to equipment failures, power outages, limited storage capacity and operational inefficiencies at key export terminals. Despite rising oil production and strong global demand, exports have struggled to exceed 1.25 million barrels per day as congestion builds, particularly at the Jose terminal, which handles about 70% of the country's oil shipments. The delays are increasing shipping costs, triggering demurrage disputes, and creating competition for limited berth space just as energy reforms and eased sanctions are encouraging more companies to market Venezuelan crude. Industry officials acknowledge that significant investment in port and terminal infrastructure will be needed if Venezuela is to capitalize on its growing oil production and expand exports further.

The Panama Canal announced yesterday via an Advisory to Shipping, temporary modifications to the locks’ transit capacity including adjustments to its daily auctions, amid reduced precipitation in the canal watershed. Severe drought conditions linked to the El Niño weather pattern are forcing the Panama Canal Authority to reduce vessel transits beginning in September, raising concerns about potential impacts on global supply chains. The number of ships permitted to pass through the canal will be cut from 36 to 34 per day on September 3 and further reduced to 32 by September 15 as lower-than-expected rainfall diminishes water levels in the lakes that feed the waterway. The Panama Canal handles approximately 5% of global maritime trade and about 40% of U.S. container traffic, making it a critical transportation corridor. Authorities have also implemented draft restrictions and other water conservation measures to preserve the long-term sustainability of the canal as one of the strongest El Niño events on record continues to affect Central America.

European countries are facing a growing challenge to refill natural gas storage ahead of winter as LNG cargoes are increasingly being diverted to Asia, where buyers are offering higher prices. According to energy market intelligence firm Montel, the EU's goal of reaching 90% gas storage by November is now likely unattainable due to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy transit route, and intensified competition for LNG supplies. Europe received significantly fewer LNG cargoes than required during the summer, while US LNG exports to major Asian markets reached record levels and surpassed shipments to Europe for the first time in July. The shortfall could place upward pressure on European energy prices as winter approaches, although the European Commission maintains that current storage levels do not present an immediate threat to supply security.

Earlier this week a 24-hour strike disrupted operations at six major German ports, including Hamburg, Bremerhaven, Wilhelmshaven, Emden, Bremen, and Brake, as wage negotiations between port workers and employers remain deadlocked. The industrial action, involving approximately 11,000 workers represented by the Ver.di union, has impacted container terminals, cargo handling, and truck and rail movements, adding pressure to already congested northern European supply chains. The dispute centres on union demands for an 8.2% wage increase, while employers have offered a 5.1% increase and additional benefits. With workers rejecting the latest proposal and no further negotiations scheduled, the potential for continued disruption and cargo backlogs remains a concern for shippers and port users across the region.

Spotted heading up the Fraser River last weekend was the MV Erna Oldendorff carrying several 53-foot containers for Canadian Tire for discharge at DPW Fraser Surrey.

The MV Erna Oldendorff is a general cargo ship sailing under the flag of Portugal with a length overall of 179.99 meters and width of 30.06 meters.