Westshore Terminals Coal Fire 2024

Breaking: The Westshore Coal Port Terminal is on fire

This is an emerging story: A fire has broken out at the Westshore Coal Port Terminal in Delta, BC, reportedly starting on a coal conveyor. Emergency crews are on site, and efforts are underway to contain the situation.

  • Significance: One of North America’s largest coal export facilities, crucial for Canadian coal shipments to global markets, especially Asia.
  • Established: Opened in the mid-1970s, operated by Westshore Terminals, with multiple upgrades to enhance capacity and efficiency.
  • Capacity: Handles approximately 33 million tonnes of coal annually, primarily metallurgical coal for steelmaking and thermal coal for power generation.
  • Economic Impact:
    • Major contributor to Canada’s economy through export revenue and job creation.
    • Supports thousands of jobs across mining, rail, port operations, and shipping sectors.
  • Location Advantage:
    • Strategically situated near Vancouver with access to Canadian Pacific (CP) and Canadian National (CN) rail networks for coal transportation from BC and Alberta mines.