Due to blockades on rail lines throughout Canada, any freight moving to, from, or transiting through Canada will very likely see significant delays. The delays are causing a rippling disturbance in the supply chain.
In short, there is no freight moving on the rails in Canada, which means a shortage in rail equipment. No rail equipment means the ports cannot clear space at the terminals for goods destined to move on rail. With no room at the ports, the vessels are unable to discharge. With no room to berth, the vessels are stuck in national/international waters. This, in turn, has begun to disrupt the larger scale of international movements because complete vessels are being delayed from departure and arrival in Canada.
The Canadian government is working closely with the rails and carriers involved, but the protests are widespread and hard to contain. Groups of people are gathering on the tracks and blocking the path of the trains. Additionally, they are throwing debris onto the tracks and in some cases even causing damage to the tracks themselves, making it physically impossible for the train to proceed. As such, the carriers will not issue projections of the timeframe to clear up the backlog.
Freight that has already arrived in Canada and is stuck amidst this turmoil will have to remain idle until service is restored. They cannot be diverted at this point; CBSA will not allow diversion. Nor would they allow any dispensation to anyone under any circumstances (other than life saving medications) as it would open a flood gate of issues in Vancouver. Furthermore the Canadian trucking industry is not capable of shouldering the surge of cargo moving from Vancouver eastward across the country on rail.
For freight that is in-transit or not yet booked, alternative routings are highly suggested, and we would be happy to help you with your options.
