The massive new grain terminal on North Vancouver’s waterfront is now fully online.
G3 Terminal Vancouver, which has been in the works for five years, announced its opening with a press release on July 8. The company says its completion is a major step forward for Canada’s agricultural supply chain.
"G3 began with the vision of building a more efficient path from farmers' fields to global markets," said Don Chapman, president and CEO of G3. "We are very proud to see this vision become reality at G3 Terminal Vancouver, thanks to the safe and efficient work of our contractor Peter Kiewit Infrastructure Co. and with the help and co-operation of the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority."
In 2015, the former Conservative government sold off the Canadian Wheat Board to G3 Global Grain Group, which was a patnership between a Saudi investment firm and Bunge Canada.
Later that year, Manitoba-based G3 partnered with Western Stevedoring to redevelop their Lynnterm West Gate breakbulk terminal at the foot of Brooksbank Avenue into a grain export facility capable of holding 180,000 tonnes of product.
Construction on the 48 14-storey grain silos, 264-foot-tall work building, and rail loop with capacity for three trains of up to 150 cars each began in 2017. The facility has been in various stages of testing through 2020.
Its dock can accommodate Capesize vessels - the largest that come through the Port of Vancouver - and its three large ship loaders move grain on board at up to 6,500 tonnes per hour, which is a new industry standard, according to the company.
The company has not publicly stated how much it cost to build, apart from saying at the time of the megaproject’s approval it would be “north of $500 million.”
