VANCOUVER, B.C. — A meeting of the stakeholders in Vancouver’s port system will attempt to find viable solutions to combat the congested container and port terminal traffic in the coastal region.

Chaired by B.C. Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon, today’s forum is a result of recommendations following last year’s trucking dispute.

Anne McMullin, spokeswoman for the Vancouver Port Authority, said last year’s event was crippling and the port is looking for ways to bring stability to the trucking sector, including increasing capacity at the terminals and ensuring the efficiency of road and rail systems.

Container expansions were completed at the Vanterm and Centerm container terminals, but a major expansion at Deltaport has been delayed due to environmental assessment. The Deltaport expansion is not expected to be completed until 2009, but will add two million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of capacity.

The delayed expansion was an effort to keep up with container traffic and competition along the coast. Last year Vancouver boosted its container traffic by six per cent on the previous year, but Seattle’s ports saw an 18 per cent growth.

Federal International Trade Minister David Emerson and Federal Transport, Infrastructure and Communities Minister Lawrence Cannon will also be in attendance during the conference to address participants.

– with files from the Vancouver Sun