The Port of Vancouver
cross-border shipper is to put yourself in the position to flex to a different crossing or a different mode of crossing – whether for cost, speed or disruption.”
He points to Canadian ports as examples:“ The Port of Vancouver on the Canadian west coast can be faster for ocean service to and from Asia.”
But when Canadian rail workers threatened to strike, the company turned to trucks.“ A typical freight train carries about 300 truckloads,” Shannon says.“ So when all the trains serving the entire country were going to literally be stopped on their tracks, our customers needed another way to keep their freight flowing.”
At the Mexico border, strategy depends on origin, destination and available infrastructure.“ It might be the most cost efficient and fastest for us to cross part of your freight into California and part of your freight into Texas,” Shannon explains, adding that not every crossing has the same facilities, so transport plans must be agile.“ Last year, two hurricanes were on a path to the Mexico border... our customers were ready to pivot to another crossing if necessary.”
126 September 2025