Canadian Railroads > Regulator to probe Vancouver service, CP takes "great exception"

The Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) has announced that it will investigate
freight rail service in the Vancouver area.

This is the first use of new powers given to the CTA last year
by amendments to the Canadian Transportation Act.
The CTA can now initiate an investigation on its own motion, without a formal complaint,
with agreement of the federal Minister of Transport.

The CTA called the investigation based on information from shipper groups and other parties,
and will include possible discrimination of certain commodities,
the use of freight rail permits and embargoes,
and fulfillment of service obligations.


CP CEO Keith Creel takes "great exception" to CP being investigated.
He is quoted in a CP press release, and he is not happy.
"It is irresponsible to institute an investigation without at minimum reaching out to ask CP for information."
"In November 2018, CP announced it had broken its previous record for carloads of Western Canadian grain
and grain products shipped to the Port of Vancouver in a single month."
"CP's intermodal franchise has the lowest on-dock dwell and best on-time performance at the Port of Vancouver."
"In terms of rail terminal performance, railcar processing time at CP's Coquitlam yard improved
by 21 percent in December 2018 versus December 2017."
"Recently, CP worked closely with CN in Vancouver, including by assembling blocks of cars for the CN
to simplify last mile operations, help ease congestion, and expedite recovery."
"To further support recovery, CP implemented embargos and permits to help manage traffic into congested consignees. "

"Are we perfect 100 percent of the time? No," said Creel.
"When we are not performing to the requisite level of service, I will be the first to step up and acknowledge it.
The flip side of that coin is: when we are subject to unsubstantiated action,
I will be the first to step up and defend the men and women who make this operation run."


The CTA plans a public hearing in Vancouver at the end of January.
CTA Chair Scott Streiner has stated that the CTA will consider "whether railway companies
operating in the Vancouver area are fulfilling their service obligations and,
if they aren't, what remedies should be ordered."


There has not yet been a response from CN, BNSF, or the Southern Railway of British Columbia.


CTA press release -
https://otc-cta.gc.ca/eng/content/canadian-transportation-agency-launches-investigation-possible-rail-service-issues-vancouver

CP press release -
https://www.cpr.ca/en/media/cp-responds-to-the-ctas-investigation-into-rail-service-issues-in-vancouver



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 01/14/19 21:28 by Marcus.

There has long been politics between the regulators, shippers and various modes of transport around the Port of Vancouver. For awhile, there was a
scheduled meeting called the Vancouver Round Table where all the parties met and held discussions. The press was invited to the opening ceremonies and there was always some controversy brewing.

I think the Port of Vancouver works OK, it is just that those concerned are used to complaining .

Sounds like CN, BNSF and SRY are smart enough to keep quiet so the investigators attention will stay on the CP.
Not a bad tactic.

Government agencies just poking around is a waste of time and money. If they have a complaint, follow up on it.

Posted from Android

I think eminence is correct,the Port of Vancouver works fine. If there's a problem look at CN not CP, particularly in regards to intermodal traffic. Just look at container dwell times as reported on the Port of Vancouver website! 

Tim
mp35mountain

Looking at the "Daily on dock footage summary" for January 15th, CN has the bulk of all its footage listed as >7 days on dock, and CP has plenty itself. I'm totally unfamiliar will all of those operations - are they really taking a week to load an import container into a well and get it on its way? It says the average December on dock time war almost 5 days. What accounts for that - does some of it have to do with customs or port operations? Or is all that time waiting for it to get loaded onto a railcar?

mp35mountain Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I think eminence is correct,the Port of Vancouver
> works fine. If there's a problem look at CN not
> CP, particularly in regards to intermodal traffic.
> Just look at container dwell times as reported on
> the Port of Vancouver website! 
>
> Tim
> mp35mountain

Link to Port of Vancouver
Supply Chain Performance
including Container Terminal Rail Performance
(updated daily)

https://www.portvancouver.com/port-dashboard/supply-chain-performance/

It's been a long time since I've been there, but looking at Google aerial photos of the Port of Vancouver, it doesn't look like much as changed; their on dock intermodal facilities are a far cry from what's at Roberts Bank, or say Port of Tacoma.  The on dock loading facilities to rail cars look very cramped, with short tracks, not a lot of capacity, and not exactly a whole lot of room to build trains period.  I'm surprised that more of the container facilities haven't moved down to Roberts Bank as there is obviously not much room for the one's near downtown Vancouver at the port to expand.

Of course, I also have to throw in some sarcasm to suggest at how could the Canadian government even imply that CN or CP have not been providing the service they should since they were both Hunter Harrison's PSR projects!  Clearly, "Precision Scheduled Railroading" should be keeping everything running just magnificent! Sorry...

inCHI Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Looking at the "Daily on dock footage summary" for
> January 15th, CN has the bulk of all its footage
> listed as >7 days on dock, and CP has plenty
> itself. I'm totally unfamiliar will all of those
> operations - are they really taking a week to load
> an import container into a well and get it on its
> way? It says the average December on dock time war
> almost 5 days. What accounts for that - does some
> of it have to do with customs or port operations?
> Or is all that time waiting for it to get loaded
> onto a railcar?
>
> mp35mountain Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I think eminence is correct,the Port of
> Vancouver
> > works fine. If there's a problem look at CN not
> > CP, particularly in regards to intermodal
> traffic.
> > Just look at container dwell times as reported
> on
> > the Port of Vancouver website! 
> >
> > Tim
> > mp35mountain

How much clearance does the first narrows bridge offer mega container ships?

The yard problem might resolve itself...

Posted from Android

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> How much clearance does the first narrows bridge
> offer mega container ships?
>
> The yard problem might resolve itself...
>
> Posted from Android

Roberts Bank versus Burrard Inlet represents five hours less sailing time for overseas shipping.  The vertical clearance on the Lions Gate bridge is also an issue.

Roberts Bank superport is a private enterprise, and has a clear advantage over the two container terminals on Burrard Inlet.
Roberts Bank has greater track capacity than downtown.

Everybody points fingers in the Ports of Vancouver, could it be the port facilities themselves that is inadequate rather than the transportation networks serving the Port.?
 

spwolfmtn Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It's been a long time since I've been there, but
> looking at Google aerial photos of the Port of
> Vancouver, it doesn't look like much as changed;
> their on dock intermodal facilities are a far cry
> from what's at Roberts Bank, or say Port of
> Tacoma. 

Roberts Bank is also part of the Port of Vancouver. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roberts_Bank_Superport

There has been expansion at both of the "downtown" container facilities (Centerm and Vanterm) and there's another big project under way at Centerm, which will take its annual throughput from 900,000 TEU to 1.5 million.
 

eminence_grise Wrote:
> Roberts Bank superport is a private enterprise,
> and has a clear advantage over the two container
> terminals on Burrard Inlet.
> Roberts Bank has greater track capacity than
> downtown.

Roberts Bank superport is owned by the federal government, just like the "downtown" harbour lands. It is occupied by private tenants on long-term leases, one being Westshore Terminals (operator of the coal facility), the other being GCT Canada, which operates the container terminal (Deltaport).

GCT Canada also operates one of the downtown container terminals (Vanterm). The other downtown terminal is Centerm, operated by DP World.

All of this is under the jurisdiction of the Port of Vancouver.

There's a lot of discussion about the capacity issues for mega size passenger liners, too.

Maybe it's time for BC a d the feds to look at a comprehensive solution to the whole issue. Cruise passengers, containers, coal, and oil / gas exports.

Posted from Android

The First Narrows bridge can't be that much of a restriction. The Vanterm berths regularly handle ships with 10,000 to 11,000 TEU capacity for the Ocean Alliance ( CMA-CGM/ APL/ COSCO/ OOCL/ Evergreen).

Tim
mp35mountain

mp35mountain Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The First Narrows bridge can't be that much of a
> restriction. The Vanterm berths regularly handle
> ships with 10,000 to 11,000 TEU capacity for the
> Ocean Alliance ( CMA-CGM/ APL/ COSCO/ OOCL/
> Evergreen).
>
> Tim
> mp35mountain

I've seen several articles suggesting the new, much larger cruise ships can only use the first narrows at low tide due to overhead clearance.

The Queen Mary 2 has collapsible masts for clearing the Verrazano Narrows in NY.

Posted from Android