The auto carrier Sagittarius Leader provided a closer than usual view as it held position in the inner anchorages at noon time today. The ship was headed for Autoport but could not proceed directly because Oceanex Sanderling was just getting clear of the berth. The Sanderling was also going to anchorage, and the ships had to arrange a spot for clear passing.
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The 61,804 grt, 20,098 dwt ship was built by Imabari Shipbuilding Company Ltd in Marugame, Japan in 2005. It has a capacity of 5,415 cars. Registered in Panama, it works for NYK Line.
A recent announcement that the Port of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island is building an auto import facility for European cars may pose little threat to Autoport's dominance in the trade. The new plan would see the cars from Europe arriving via the Panama Canal, unloaded and processed then barged to the BC mainland. They expect to receive 12,000 cars a year starting in January 2019 and work up to 50,000 per year.
Halifax's Autoport facility is owned and operated by CN Rail, and provides a ship to train distribution system to inland distribution hubs, including the west coast.
The Nanaimo plan fails to take into account that many customers want their cars quickly and adding two weeks or more to the delivery time might not be acceptable. Of course if Alberta decides to blockade British Columbia from Canada, the point becomes moot.
The 61,804 grt, 20,098 dwt ship was built by Imabari Shipbuilding Company Ltd in Marugame, Japan in 2005. It has a capacity of 5,415 cars. Registered in Panama, it works for NYK Line.
A recent announcement that the Port of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island is building an auto import facility for European cars may pose little threat to Autoport's dominance in the trade. The new plan would see the cars from Europe arriving via the Panama Canal, unloaded and processed then barged to the BC mainland. They expect to receive 12,000 cars a year starting in January 2019 and work up to 50,000 per year.
Halifax's Autoport facility is owned and operated by CN Rail, and provides a ship to train distribution system to inland distribution hubs, including the west coast.
The Nanaimo plan fails to take into account that many customers want their cars quickly and adding two weeks or more to the delivery time might not be acceptable. Of course if Alberta decides to blockade British Columbia from Canada, the point becomes moot.
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