The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, the federal agency overseeing the lands and waters that make up the Port of Vancouver—Canada’s largest port—is delivering the Active Vessel Traffic Management (AVTM) Program: a ground-breaking digital initiative that optimizes vessel traffic, enhances supply chain collaboration and reduces environmental and community impacts from commercial marine activity.
Launched in 2021, the program includes the port-wide implementation of an active vessel traffic management system using the award-winning DHI NCOS online platform. The system integrates real-time data on tides, currents, weather, and port regulations with advanced scenario planning to enhance vessel scheduling. Now fully operational across Burrard Inlet—the port’s busy Inner Harbour—and set to expand to the Fraser River by late 2025, the system streamlines over 5,000 vessel movements annually. It improves coordination between rail and marine traffic, reduces port congestion, and promotes more efficient use of commercial anchorages in and around the Port of Vancouver. The result is measurable benefits for ship and terminal operators, railways, and surrounding communities and ecosystems.
The AVTM Program exemplifies innovation, process engineering, and social value, aligning with five United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. By fostering collaboration among government bodies and supply chain partners, and engagement with First Nations and coastal communities, the program positions the Port of Vancouver as a global leader in sustainable maritime operations and provides a successful and scalable model for ports worldwide.