Port of Vancouver shipping means moving your cargo through Canada's largest port: four container terminals, 29 major marine cargo terminals in all, and on-dock rail to the rest of Canada and the US Midwest. If you are shipping from Dubai to Vancouver, your container is transshipped on the way, lands at Centerm, Vanterm, Deltaport or Fraser Surrey, and clears the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). Below: the terminals, the cargo they handle, the CBSA rules that apply before your box even loads in the UAE, and how we prepare a shipment so it clears on time. We ship both ways: from Dubai to Vancouver and from Vancouver to Dubai.
Port of Vancouver: key facts at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Port authority | Vancouver Fraser Port Authority (federal) |
| UN/LOCODE | CAVAN |
| Where it operates | Burrard Inlet, the Fraser River and Roberts Bank |
| Size | Over 16,000 hectares of water, over 1,500 hectares of land, over 350 km of shoreline |
| Terminals | 29 major marine cargo terminals, 4 of them for containers |
| Total cargo (2024) | 158 million tonnes |
| Containers (2024) | 3.47 million TEU |
| Breakbulk (2024) | 15.3 million tonnes |
| Vehicles (2024) | 469,000 units |
| Foreign vessel calls (2024) | 3,116 |
| Railways | CN, CPKC and BNSF |
| Trading economies | Up to 170 |
| Customs authority | Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) |
| Federal tax at import | 5% GST, plus provincial sales tax in British Columbia where it applies |
| Shipping to Dubai | Export declaration in CERS at least 48 hours before loading; arrival at Jebel Ali, Khalifa Port or Sharjah |
Port of Vancouver explained: what it is and who runs it
The Port of Vancouver is managed by the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, a federal port authority. It does not run the terminals itself. Private operators, such as Global Container Terminals (GCT) and DP World, run the container terminals on port land.
The port authority's 2024 key facts call it Canada's largest port and the number one port on the North American west coast for total cargo. It says the port handles one dollar of every three of Canada's trade in goods outside North America, and borders 16 Lower Mainland municipalities. Its top trading economies are China, Japan and South Korea.
Most of the tonnage is bulk. Dry and liquid bulk made up 74% of 2024 tonnage, led by coal, grain and potash exports. Containers carried 25 million tonnes, about 3.47 million TEU, which the port ranks third in North America by container volume. For an importer from the UAE, the container terminals and the breakbulk berths matter most.
Which container terminals does the Port of Vancouver have?
There are four. Two are in the inner harbour in Burrard Inlet, close to downtown Vancouver. Deltaport is at Roberts Bank, south of the city, and Fraser Surrey is on the Fraser River.
| Terminal | Operator | Location | Annual capacity | Berths and cranes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GCT Deltaport | Global Container Terminals | Roberts Bank, Delta | 2.4 million TEU | 3 berths, 1,110 m; 12 ship-to-shore cranes |
| DP World Centerm | DP World | Burrard Inlet, Vancouver | 1.5 million TEU | Not published on the pages we used |
| GCT Vanterm | Global Container Terminals | Burrard Inlet, Vancouver | 1 million+ TEU | 2 berths, 619 m; 6 ship-to-shore cranes |
| DP World Fraser Surrey | DP World | Fraser River, Surrey | 600,000 TEU | Container, breakbulk and bulk terminal |
GCT says Deltaport, in operation since 1997, covers 85 hectares and has North America's largest semi-automated on-dock rail yard, with 8,323 m of track. Vanterm, in operation since 1975, covers 31 hectares with 2,926 m of on-dock rail. Both are served by CN and CPKC. CN reports that Centerm's capacity was raised from 900,000 to 1.5 million TEU, and gives about 5 days by rail from each of the four terminals to Chicago.
You do not pick the terminal. The ocean carrier's service decides where the vessel berths. What you can do is check the terminal on the arrival notice early, because gate rules, reservation systems and rail cut-offs differ between operators.
Breakbulk, vehicle and bulk terminals
Breakbulk was 15.3 million tonnes in 2024, or 9.6% of the port's tonnage. Logs made up half of it, with basic metals and wood pulp at 6% each. Fraser Surrey Docks and Lynnterm are among the breakbulk terminals. Annacis Auto Terminal and Richmond Auto Terminal handle vehicles, and the port authority says Vancouver receives nearly all overseas Asian-built vehicle imports destined for Canada.
What cargo can you ship to Vancouver from the UAE?
| Cargo | How it moves | Typical terminal |
|---|---|---|
| General goods, consumer products, building materials | FCL or LCL | Any of the four container terminals |
| Steel, aluminium profiles, machinery | FCL, flat rack or breakbulk | Container terminals or a breakbulk terminal such as Fraser Surrey |
| Oversized project pieces | Flat rack, open top or breakbulk | Depends on the carrier and vessel |
| Chemicals, batteries, aerosols | DG container | Container terminal, with carrier and terminal acceptance |
| Food products | Dry or reefer container | Container terminal, with CFIA requirements met |
FCL or LCL: which suits shipping from Dubai to Vancouver?
FCL means you book a whole 20ft, 40ft or 40ft high cube container. LCL means your cargo shares a container with other shippers' goods. It is packed at a container freight station in the UAE, discharged at Vancouver and unpacked at a warehouse there. LCL release depends on every shipment in the box being cleared, and the forwarder must file house bill data with the CBSA.
A decision rule: if your cargo fills more than about half a 20ft box, get both prices. Our guide to FCL vs LCL costs shows how to compare them, and our sea freight service page explains what we book from the UAE.
Shipping from Dubai to Vancouver: routings and transit
There is no direct service from the UAE to Vancouver in the published schedule data we checked. Cargo is transshipped, usually in Asia, before crossing the Pacific.
| Routing (Fluent Cargo data) | Transit shown | Transfers | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Khor Fakkan to Vancouver (ONE, Maersk and others) | 39 days 6 hours | 1 | Every 1 to 2 weeks |
| Jebel Ali to Vancouver (ONE) | 53 days 16 hours | 2 | Every 2 to 4 weeks |
| Air: Dubai (DXB) to Vancouver (YVR) | 23 hours 11 minutes | 1 | 2 to 4 times a week |
These are port-to-port indications from schedule data, not promises. Add the UAE trucking and export clearance at origin, and the CBSA release and delivery at Vancouver. Our Jebel Ali port shipping guide covers the origin side.
[AMIR-FACT: the carrier services we book from Jebel Ali or Khor Fakkan to Vancouver, which Vancouver terminal they usually discharge at, and our typical port-to-port and door-to-door days on this lane]
CBSA rules for Vancouver cargo: what must be filed before loading
eManifest timing
Under CBSA Memorandum D3-5-1, cargo data for containerized cargo loaded outside the United States must reach the CBSA 24 hours before loading. For break-bulk and bulk cargo, it is 24 hours before arrival. Forwarders on consolidated cargo send house bill data within the marine timeframe of 24 hours.
For a box loading at Jebel Ali, this means the carrier needs a precise cargo description, weight and parties a day before the vessel loads. A vague description such as "general cargo" can keep the box off the ship.
The importer's registration
- A business number (BN9) and a 6-character import program account, which together form the BN15.
- A CARM Client Portal account, the CBSA's system for assessing and collecting duty and tax.
- Release Prior to Payment with financial security, if the importer wants goods released before paying.
- A CARM delegation to a licensed customs broker, if one is used.
Non-resident importers get their BN9 from the Canada Revenue Agency first, then register in CARM.
Customs clearance at the Port of Vancouver
Documents for release
| Document | Notes |
|---|---|
| Commercial invoice or Canada Customs Invoice | Full description, selling price and terms of sale |
| Packing list | Weights and marks per package |
| Bill of lading | Matches the cargo data sent before loading |
| Certificate of origin | Supports the tariff treatment claimed |
| CFIA documents | For food, plant and animal products, as shown in AIRS |
| DG declaration and SDS | For dangerous goods |
The CBSA gives each shipment a 14-digit transaction number. After release, the importer accounts for the goods with a commercial accounting declaration in CARM and pays by the due date. Without financial security, duty and taxes are paid at release.
Duty and tax
Canada uses 10-digit tariff numbers: the 6-digit HS code plus 4 Canadian digits. UAE-origin goods pay the Most-Favoured-Nation rate. Canada and the UAE signed a trade agreement (CEPA) on 27 October 2026, but it is not yet in force and is expected to take effect in 2027. GST at 5% is charged on the value for duty plus duty. British Columbia also has a 7% PST, and your broker will tell you whether it is collected at the border for your goods.
Wood packaging
Solid wood pallets, crates and dunnage from the UAE must meet CFIA directive D-98-08. That means debarked wood, treated by an approved method and marked under ISPM 15. Non-compliant packaging may be refused entry. Packaging made only of plywood, cardboard, plastic or OSB is exempt.
Dangerous goods and project cargo through Vancouver
Dangerous goods to Vancouver fall under Canada's Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations, whose marine part is built on the IMDG Code. The carrier, every transshipment port and the Vancouver terminal must accept the class. You need the UN number, proper shipping name, class, packing group, an SDS, a signed DG declaration and UN-approved packaging. Our dangerous goods shipping team gets acceptance before the booking is confirmed.
Project cargo usually moves on flat racks through a container terminal or as breakbulk to a terminal such as Fraser Surrey. Findaport lists the largest container ship handled at Vancouver at 366 m long with a 15.5 m draft, and the largest breakbulk vessel at 243 m and 14.5 m. Our guide to flat rack, open top and breakbulk cargo explains the options, and our break bulk and project cargo service covers the origin side in the UAE.
Getting your container out of the Port of Vancouver
Rail to inland Canada
Vancouver is served by three Class 1 railways: CN, CPKC and BNSF. Deltaport and Vanterm have on-dock rail, and GCT says it has service agreements covering 22 rail destinations in Canada and the US. If your consignee is in Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg or Toronto, the box often leaves the terminal by rail on a through bill of lading. Ask for the inland destination at booking, not after arrival.
Trucks and terminal reservations
Local deliveries go by truck from the terminal gate. Speed Commerce's port user notes say the terminals run reservation systems for truck pickups. Your trucker books the slot once the container is released by the CBSA and the carrier, so a late release can mean a missed slot and extra storage.
How to ship from Dubai to the Port of Vancouver: step by step
- Confirm the final delivery address, the Incoterm and the importer of record.
- Check the importer has a BN15, a CARM account and a broker delegation.
- Send us the HS codes, description, weight, volume and origin of the goods.
- We compare routings to Vancouver and confirm space with the carrier.
- Check wood packaging, CFIA and DG rules for your goods.
- We arrange trucking and UAE export clearance and deliver before the cut-off.
- The carrier sends cargo data to the CBSA 24 hours before loading; we send house bill data for LCL.
- We issue the bill of lading and send the documents to the consignee or its broker.
- The broker requests release and pays or secures duty and GST.
- The trucker or railway collects the container and returns the empty within free time.
How to ship from the Port of Vancouver to Dubai
We also handle the other direction: shipping from Vancouver to Dubai, with arrival at Jebel Ali, Khalifa Port or Sharjah port. We book the space with the carrier and run the UAE side. The Canadian export papers stay with the shipper or its Canadian agent.
The Canadian export side
- Export declaration. Exports are reported to the CBSA through the Canadian Export Reporting System (CERS), or G7 EDI. For commercial goods going outside the US, a declaration is needed for goods worth CAD 2,000 or more, and for restricted goods at any value.
- Who files. The exporter or a customs service provider it appoints. The provider must enter the exporter's business number, not its own, and the exporter stays responsible for the data.
- Timing. For marine cargo, the declaration goes in at least 48 hours before the goods are loaded on the vessel.
- Pickup. The shipper or its trucker delivers the box to Centerm, Vanterm, Deltaport or Fraser Surrey before the cut-off.
The UAE import side
For cargo landing at Jebel Ali, the import declaration goes to Dubai Customs with the commercial invoice, the packing list, the bill of lading, a certificate of origin and any permit needed for restricted goods. Customs duty is 5% of the CIF value for most goods, with 50% on alcohol and 100% on cigarettes. Import VAT is 5%, and a VAT-registered importer can account for it on its VAT return. Canada and the UAE signed a CEPA in October 2026, but it is not yet in force, so Canadian goods pay the normal UAE rate for now.
- Send us the shipper's details in Vancouver, the cargo, the HS code, the Incoterm and the UAE delivery address.
- We book space with a carrier from Centerm, Vanterm, Deltaport or Fraser Surrey and send the booking and cut-offs to the shipper.
- The shipper or its trucker picks up the empty, stuffs it and delivers the box to the terminal before the cut-off.
- The shipper or its Canadian customs service provider files the export declaration in CERS.
- We check the draft bill of lading against the invoice and packing list before it is issued.
- We file the UAE customs declaration before the vessel arrives.
- We arrange payment of the duty and VAT and collect the delivery order from the line.
- We truck the box to your site and return the empty inside the free time.
[AMIR-FACT: the carriers we actually use from Vancouver to Jebel Ali/Khalifa/Sharjah and our real transit days in this direction]
Free time, demurrage and detention in Vancouver
Free time and charges are set by the carrier and the terminal, not the port authority. Storage starts once terminal free time ends, and detention runs until the empty container is returned. Typical causes we plan against are late CARM registration, missing CFIA documents and untreated pallets. Our note on demurrage and detention explains how they add up.
Checklist before you ship to Vancouver
- Importer of record has a BN15 and CARM access.
- Broker delegated in CARM.
- Precise cargo description and HS code ready for the advance data.
- Invoice shows description, price and terms of sale.
- Wood packaging ISPM 15 marked, or non-wood packaging used.
- CFIA requirements checked for food, plant or animal goods.
- DG acceptance confirmed for the carrier, transshipment port and terminal.
- Inland destination agreed so rail can be booked through.
Common mistakes on the Dubai to Vancouver lane
- Expecting a three or four week transit. Published schedules show about 39 to 54 days with transshipment.
- Booking to Vancouver for a consignee in Quebec or the Maritimes, then paying a long rail leg.
- Sending cargo data late, so the container misses the vessel in the UAE.
- Untreated wooden pallets that may be refused entry.
- Waiting for arrival to register the importer in CARM.
- Confusing the Port of Vancouver in Canada with the Port of Vancouver USA in Washington State, a separate port.
Frequently asked questions
Who runs the Port of Vancouver and its terminals?
The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, a federal port authority, manages the port. The container terminals are run by private operators: GCT runs Deltaport and Vanterm, and DP World runs Centerm and Fraser Surrey.
How many container terminals does the Port of Vancouver have?
Four: Centerm, Deltaport, Vanterm and DP World Fraser Surrey. The port has 29 major marine cargo terminals in total.
How many containers does the Port of Vancouver handle?
The port authority reported 3.47 million TEU in 2024, within 158 million tonnes of total cargo.
What is the port code for Vancouver?
The UN/LOCODE for the Port of Vancouver, Canada, is CAVAN.
How long does shipping from Dubai to Vancouver take?
Fluent Cargo lists Khor Fakkan to Vancouver at 39 days 6 hours with one transfer, and Jebel Ali to Vancouver at 53 days 16 hours with two. These are port-to-port figures.
When must cargo data be sent to the CBSA for a Vancouver shipment?
For containerized cargo loaded outside the United States, 24 hours before loading at the foreign port. For breakbulk and bulk, 24 hours before arrival.
Is the Port of Vancouver the same as the Port of Vancouver USA?
No. The Port of Vancouver USA is a separate port in Vancouver, Washington, in the United States. This guide covers the Canadian port in British Columbia.
Can you ship cargo from Vancouver to Dubai?
Yes. The exporter or its customs service provider files the export declaration in CERS at least 48 hours before loading. We book the space, file the UAE declaration, arrange payment of the 5% duty and 5% VAT, and deliver from Jebel Ali, Khalifa Port or Sharjah.
Get a quote for Port of Vancouver shipping
Send us your cargo details, the delivery address in Canada and the Incoterm, and we will come back with a routing and a price. Use our freight rate inquiry form, or contact our team to talk through a DG or project shipment first. You can also read about our Dubai freight forwarding team.
Sources
- Vancouver Fraser Port Authority: 2024 key facts
- GCT Global Container Terminals: Terminal overview fact sheet (Deltaport and Vanterm)
- CN: Port of Vancouver terminals and capacity
- Wikipedia: Port of Vancouver (terminal list, UN/LOCODE)
- Findaport: Port of Vancouver, Canada (maximum vessel sizes)
- Port of Vancouver USA: Marine
- CBSA: Memorandum D3-5-1, marine reporting timeframes (Appendix A)
- CBSA: eManifest requirements by client type
- CBSA: Determining duties and taxes
- CBSA: Setting up your business to import
- CBSA: Release, accounting and payment
- Canada Revenue Agency: GST/HST and PST rates by province
- Global Affairs Canada: Canada-UAE CEPA status
- Prime Minister of Canada: release of 27 October 2026 on the CEPA signing
- CFIA: Wood packaging imports (D-98-08)
- CFIA: Automated Import Reference System (AIRS)
- Transport Canada: Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations
- Speed Commerce: Port of Vancouver user guide (terminal reservations)
- Fluent Cargo: Dubai to Vancouver
- CBSA: Step-by-step guide to exporting goods from Canada (CERS, CAD 2,000, 48 hours)
- CBSA: Canadian Export Reporting System
- Dubai Customs: Submit customs declaration (documents)
- UAE Government portal: Customs duty (5% of CIF, alcohol 50%, cigarettes 100%)
- Federal Tax Authority: VAT guide (5% rate, import VAT)
Reviewed: 10 November 2026