Port of Vancouver handles record 88 million tonnes of exports in first half of 2026
Grain, canola and crude oil lead surge, with container traffic also climbing. Agricultural and energy exports to Asia-Pacific accelerate amid federal trade expansion push.
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The Port of Vancouver moved 88 million tonnes of exports in the first six months of 2026, a 3 percent jump and the highest total on record, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority announced Monday.
Grain and crude oil anchored the surge. Bulk shipments of canola seed, barley and specialty crops — peas and lentils — climbed 14 percent to 17.4 million tonnes, with specialty crops to India, China and Bangladesh nearly tripling. Crude oil exports from the Trans Mountain pipeline's Westridge terminal hit a record 12 million tonnes, with 80 percent flowing to Asia-Pacific destinations including China, South Korea and Japan. The first-ever oil shipment to Indonesia departed in April.
U.S. oil exports to the port fell sharply, shrinking to one-fifth of Trans Mountain output from one-third a year ago. Steel-making coal slipped 16 percent to 10.6 million tonnes, while potash remained roughly flat at 5.1 million tonnes.
Container traffic expanded 4 percent to nearly 2 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) in the first six months. Laden export containers rose almost 4 percent to 421,330 TEUs, while empty containers returned to foreign ports declined 2.6 percent.
Peter Xotta, CEO of Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, called the figures "the $64,000 question" on whether they signal a lasting shift in trade patterns. He credited Canadian agriculture's growth and emerging LNG markets for marine fuel as driving forces. "Canadian agriculture is going to continue to grow, and they are on the forefront of probably developing some of the new markets that our federal leadership want to encourage," Xotta said.
Xotta and federal Transportation Minister Steven MacKinnon unveiled a gateway strategy in July that includes the Roberts Bank Terminal 2 project and bulk-commodity handling at Fraser Wharves in Richmond.
The facts
How much did the Port of Vancouver export in the first half of 2026?
The Port of Vancouver moved 88 million tonnes of exports in the first six months of 2026, marking a 3 percent increase and a record high.
What were the top export commodities?
Grain and crude oil led the surge. Crude oil exports hit a record 12 million tonnes, while bulk shipments of canola seed, barley, and specialty crops like peas and lentils climbed 14 percent to 17.4 million tonnes.
Where did most crude oil exports go?
Eighty percent of crude oil from the Trans Mountain pipeline's Westridge terminal flowed to Asia-Pacific destinations including China, South Korea, and Japan, with the first-ever shipment to Indonesia departing in April.
How did container traffic perform?
Container traffic expanded 4 percent to nearly 2 million TEUs in the first six months, with laden export containers rising almost 4 percent to 421,330 TEUs.
