CONFERENCE RECAP: SHORT SEA SHIPPING
Short sea shipping and supply chain innovation in British Columbia
A s global supply chains evolve and demand for sustain- able, efficient transportation grows, British Columbia’s ports are at the forefront of a maritime revo- lution. At a recent panel moderated by Kevin Volk, Assistant Deputy Minister of Integrated Transportation and Infrastructure Services for the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, industry lead- ers explored the promise — and the practicalities — of short sea shipping and supply chain diversification. Volk welcomed an expert panel including Mathew Stradiotti, President of North Arm Transportation; Kelly Williams, Vice President of SSA Marine Canada; and Colby Miller, General Manager of Vancouver DP World. Their discussion showcased how short sea shipping — moving goods by barge along coastal routes — is reshaping regional logistics and creating new economic opportunities. Reviving an old tradition For Mathew Stradiotti, whose family has operated North Arm Transportation for nearly 80 years, short sea shipping isn’t new — it’s their foundation. “Most of the marine tow- ing work we do could be viewed as short sea shipping,” he said. “We move containers, fuel, freight, and heavy project cargo all along the B.C. coast — from Vancouver to remote First Nations and industrial sites.” North Arm operates the barge com- ponent of DP World’s coastal ser- vice, linking terminals in Vancouver Harbour and on the Fraser River with Vancouver Island and even the U.S. Pacific Northwest. Since the service began in 2012, they’ve completed
Their discussion showcased how short sea shipping ... is reshaping regional logistics and creating new economic opportunities.
The terminal perspective Kelly Williams, Vice President, Terminals and Stevedoring, SSA Marine, brought the view from the ter- minal operator’s side. SSA, part of the global Carrix Group, operates one of the most diverse portfolios on the West Coast, handling everything from for- estry and steel to cruise passengers and automobiles. Williams underscored how vital short sea connections are to the com- pany’s business model. “We’re tied at the hip with short sea shipping,” he
over 2,100 barge trips, moving an estimated 175,000 to 200,000 con- tainers — keeping thousands of truck- loads off B.C.’s highways and reducing emissions. But Stradiotti emphasized that the company’s work extends beyond com- mercial freight. “We deliver essential supplies to remote communities, BC Hydro’s non-integrated power systems, fishing lodges, forestry operations and mines,” he said. “For these places, short sea shipping isn’t an alternative, it’s a necessity.”
Left to right: Mathew Stratioti (North Arm Transportation), Kevin Volk (BC Ministry of Transportation), Kelly Williams (SSA Marine Canada), and Colby Miller (Vancouver DP World).
October/November 2025 — PACIFIC PORTS — 37
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