ANCHORAGE OPTIMIZATION
For ports, spatial and seasonal analy- sis supports more precise action. Winter operating plans can anticipate weather- sensitive grain loading, peak bulk demand and disruption risk. Better forward visibility may also allow ports to hold vessels outside constrained wat- ers through managed arrival programs, where safe and commercially feasible, instead of transferring delay into the Salish Sea and negatively impacting communities and the environment. Different types of growth create different anchorage demand The report’s tanker findings further challenge a traffic-only model. Tanker traffic rose sharply after comple- tion of the Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion project, yet tanker anchor- age use increased more modestly. Trans Mountain tankers anchored less frequently and for less time on aver- age than other tankers. Conversely, container anchorage use spiked during the COVID and flood related supply- chain disruptions of 2021 and 2022 and remains above pre-disruption lev- els. A ship count treats every additional call as equivalent; operational analysis shows that berth arrangements and
Figure 2: Anchorage Use by Vessel Type in the Canadian Waters of the Salish Sea (2016-2025)
Plan for seasonal demand Where and when waiting occurs also changes the management response. The Southern Gulf Islands anchor- ages absorbed much of the increase in demand over the past decade, with use growing by 470 per cent between 2016 and 2025. They function as longer- term waiting areas when Vancouver anchorages are under pressure, and their use is highly seasonal — much higher in winter and typically minimal in summer.
Referencing the voyage phase is also instructive. Much bulk-carrier wait- ing occurred before the first terminal visit, indicating that pre-berth readi- ness is a larger issue than post-loading delay. Grain movements illustrate the value of a more granular view: vessels may call at multiple terminals, anchor before and between calls, and face loading constraints when rainfall lim- its cargo handling. Coal vessels calling on the Port of Vancouver likewise spent almost all their anchorage time before their first terminal visit. Ports can use this segmentation to identify whether a delay is associated with cargo assem- bly, berth sequencing, rail delivery, ter- minal productivity or multi-terminal itineraries. A useful operating dashboard would therefore connect estimated vessel arrival times with terminal windows, cargo-readiness status, railcar supply, weather constraints and planned inter- terminal movements. Exception alerts could identify vessels likely to anchor for extended periods in advance. Ports and terminals could then adjust arrival sequencing, move loading windows, resolve inland bottlenecks, or encour- age slow steaming when a berth or cargo will not be ready.
Figure 3: Total Time at Anchor for Bulk Carriers in the Canadian Waters of the Salish Sea, Organized by Commodity Type (2016-2025)
30 — PACIFIC PORTS — October 2026
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