Forget Mexico. Canada Will Take Your US Shipping Business!

A recent article in American Shipper quoted the head of the largest container port in the U.S. who said that the U.S. [is] at fault for Canada diversion. According to Geraldine Knatz, Executive Director of the Port of Los Angeles, Canada’s investment (of over 4 Billion) in its western ports to capture more Asian trade is smart policy and there should be a U.S. government inquiry into cargo diversion to the North that focusses on domestic impediments to U.S. port competitiveness.

This is one case where the doctor has to disagree. See, up North, we’re quite happy to take your shipping business. And what you need to understand is that Vancouver is only 200 km (that’s 125 miles for you metric-phobes) from Seattle, only 500 km from Portland, and less than 700 km from Spokane. And it’s a mere 2000 km from Los Angeles. Smart Logistics can get your shipment there by truck in two days even with driving limits if you team-up drivers or have them switch off at mid-points. And while Chicago might be 3500 km away, with an infrastructure that supports intermodal transport (including rail), it doesn’t take long to get your cargo to Chicago either. (As per the article, Canada’s value proposition is that can trim at least two days off the transit time from North Asia to U.S. destinations, with competitive intermodal rail service. The new port at Prince Rupert was designed to transfer all containers at the dock to Canadian National Trains which can reach Chicago in 100 hours!)

And if you’re shipping to the east, Halifax to Boston is only 1100 km — and the Port of Halifax, in the world’s second largest natural harbour, is undergoing continual expansion (and now has direct routes from Vietnam) — with two new super post-panamax cranes coming in 2012 (along with the Disney Cruise Line). In addition, to meet your air cargo requirements, the main runway at international award winning Halifax Stanfield International Airport is being extended. (Link)

We’re ready for your business! And we can handle way more than 7%. So send your business up North. We’ll take it — and save you money too.