Vessel and berth guide : PCT and Vancouver Wharves
Almost all Canadian seaborne elemental sulfur clears through the Port of Vancouver system, primarily at Pacific Coast Terminals in Port Moody and Vancouver Wharves in North Vancouver. Sultran coordinates loadings at both and publishes berth and loader specifications that charterers and operators use as a starting point. Always reconfirm with the terminal before fixing a vessel; dredging, air draft, and operating practices can change.
Pacific Coast Terminals Berth 2 handles bulk sulfur (and potash). Public specs list maximum low-water depth about 11.9 m, length overall from roughly 142 m to 240 m, and beam up to 32.5 m. The shiploader is a single-quadrant (one gang) system. Peak load rates are listed around 2,500-3,500 wet metric tonnes per hour from a single source and 4,500-5,500 wmt/hr from a dual source. Average gross shift tonnages in the same disclosures run on the order of 15,000-25,000 wmt depending on single versus dual source operation.
Vancouver Wharves Berth 4 offers dual-quadrant (two gang) loading with about 12.8 m depth and maximum LOA near 230 m. Peak rates are listed lower per gang than PCT’s top dual-source figures: roughly 1,800-2,300 wmt/hr single source and 2,500-3,500 wmt/hr dual source, with corresponding shift averages. Air draft limits apply at Vancouver Wharves (about 22.7 m waterline to hatch coaming in Sultran tables), while PCT notes no limiting air draft on the cited sheet.
Vessel classes are typically Supramax and Panamax sulfur carriers lifting parcels often described in the 30,000-65,000 tonne commercial range, subject to draft, LOA, and cargo program. Handysize tonnage appears on some regional stems. Laytime and shift structure (day and afternoon shifts are listed) matter as much as nameplate loader rates; rain, dust control, and rail reclaim can slow operations.
Inland logistics gate the berth. Formed sulfur must arrive by rail in sufficient volume to keep the shiploader fed. Wildfires, rail congestion, or forming outages upstream show up as delayed stems even when the berth is free. On-dock stockpiles buffer some mismatch between train arrivals and vessel laydays.
Port of Vancouver aggregate statistics Terminal guides Hub and facility pages summarize public operator disclosures. Charter parties for sulfur often reference surveyors, hold cleanliness, and trimming practices suited to dusty mineral cargoes. Agents in Vancouver coordinate with both PCT and Vancouver Wharves depending on stem allocation, stockpile ownership, and berth windows. Canadian sulfur is a byproduct export, so vessel programs flex with remelt campaigns and upgrader turnarounds. Build schedule buffers for Northern Alberta weather and rail variability when fixing laycans tied to Fort McMurray-origin product.