Significant Flooding in British Columbia

Dear Valued Westwood Customer,

We regret to notify you that the recent significant flooding in British Columbia has heavily impacted rail operations in and out of Vancouver, BC.

Westwood remains in close contact with both rail suppliers, Canadian National (CN) and Canadian Pacific (CP), and terminal operator, DP World at Centerm.

We are committed to working with all parties involved to mitigate cargo delays that will result from the flooding.

• Both CN and CP are advising that this closure is creating major challenges, and a precise re-opening time and date are not yet available.
• Import traffic is currently holding for departure in Vancouver at the port, at CN Vancouver Intermodal Terminal (VIT), or CP Vancouver Intermodal Facility (VIF). Both CN VIT and CP VIF have stopped accepting import rail containers.
• Export and empty traffic are currently being staged east of the washouts, awaiting passage to Vancouver.
• DP World will provide specific updates on vessel berthing and arrival details as the next Westwood vessels approach Vancouver, BC.
• There are commercial trucks that are stranded in the Kamloops area, and movement of goods via the United States has not yet started. Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has indicated that interim policies will be announced shortly to support the movement of goods via the US in bond. Concerns were raised around the ability of Highway 3 to safely accommodate the volumes of truck traffic estimated. (Chamber of Shipping)

At this time, it will be difficult to advise further details until we have obtained a re-opening plan from both CN and CP for your specific shipments.

In the meantime, our thoughts are with those impacted by the devastation from the flooding.

We thank you for your understanding and continued business support.

If you have any questions or require further assistance, please contact your Westwood Sales Manager.