DP World Inaugurates CAD$22 Million Salish Sea Gateway

British Columbia’s first dedicated short-sea shipping facility triples weekly sailings between Vancouver and Nanaimo, improving connectivity and offering businesses an alternative to road and ferry routes

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — DP World has inaugurated its CAD$22 million Salish Sea Gateway, British Columbia’s first dedicated short-sea shipping facility, designed to strengthen trade connectivity between Vancouver Island and British Columbia’s Lower Mainland.

The purpose-built facility connects Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland through a dedicated marine shipping corridor, integrating road, rail and marine transport to improve cargo flows and provide an alternative to traditional truck-and-ferry routes. Named in recognition of the Coast Salish Nations, the gateway supports more efficient, reliable and lower-emission goods movement across coastal British Columbia.

The inauguration ceremony brought together representatives from Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations, Member of Parliament Parm Bains, Vancouver Fraser Port Authority representatives, Port of Nanaimo representatives, customers and industry partners.

Since beginning commercial operations earlier this year, DP World has tripled sailings between Vancouver and Nanaimo from one to three per week, giving customers greater reliability and flexibility. The service transports forestry products, bottled water, recycled materials, machinery, equipment and retail goods, with capacity for up to 200 empty containers or 140 to 160 loaded containers per voyage, depending on cargo weight.

The gateway features a new Liebherr mobile harbour crane to improve cargo handling and vessel turnaround times. It also complements DP World’s expansion at Duke Point terminal in Nanaimo, where berth capacity is being doubled to support annual throughput of approximately 280,000 TEUs.

Doug Smith, CEO of DP World in Canada, said: “The launch of the Salish Sea Gateway represents a significant step forward in how goods move across coastal British Columbia. By investing in dedicated marine infrastructure and increasing sailing frequency, we are improving reliability, reducing congestion, and building a more sustainable and resilient supply chain.”

Parm Bains, Member of Parliament for Richmond East-Steveston, said: “The inauguration of the Salish Sea Gateway facility marks an important milestone for British Columbia’s trade and transportation network. Investments in modern port infrastructure help strengthen Canadian supply chains, support economic growth and create opportunities for businesses and workers across the region. I congratulate DP World on this achievement and look forward to the facility’s contribution to the long-term economic prosperity of our country.”

Peter Xotta, President and CEO of the Vancouver Fraser Surrey Port Authority, said: “The Port of Vancouver and its terminals have an outsized role to play supporting federal work to double Canadian exports to non-U.S. markets over the next decade. We are proud to celebrate the opening of DP World’s Salish Sea Gateway — the port’s first dedicated short sea shipping facility. The Salish Sea Gateway will strengthen supply chains moving goods through the port and help ensure Canadian businesses can reliably and competitively access world markets.”

Ian Marr, President and CEO of the Nanaimo Port Authority, said: “As a Port Authority, we play a central role by fostering partnerships and investing in sustainable trade-enabling infrastructure. DP World’s innovative solution to develop the Salish Sea Gateway gives Vancouver Island businesses faster and more reliable access to global markets. This creates new opportunities and supports the stabilization of Canada’s Pacific trade corridor by increasing supply chain resiliency and flexibility for import and export goods. Short Sea Shipping delivers compelling customer and societal benefits – reducing logistics costs, lowering greenhouse gas emissions, and easing congestion on regional road networks.”

The Salish Sea Gateway forms part of DP World’s broader strategy to expand integrated logistics solutions and build more resilient, lower-emission supply chains across Canada.

For more insights into how DP World is reshaping global trade, visit our website: www.dpworld.com

For media enquiries, please contact:

Melina Vissat, Head of Communications
M: (+1) 704-605-6159
E: melina.vissat@dpworld.com

About DP World

DP World is reshaping the future of global trade to improve lives everywhere. Operating across six continents with a team of over 125,000 employees, we combine global infrastructure and local expertise to deliver seamless supply chain solutions. From Ports and Terminals to Marine Services, Logistics and Technology, we leverage innovation to create better ways to trade, minimizing disruptions from the factory floor to the customer’s door.

In the Americas, DP World operates with a team of over 16,000 people across 12 countries, driving excellence through a robust network of 14 ports and terminals and more than 40 warehouses. By harnessing our global reach and local expertise, we simplify logistics, enhance operational performance, and redefine the boundaries of what’s possible in global trade.

WE MAKE TRADE FLOW.