Port Saint John recent turnarounds have been aiming to catapult the port into the forefront of international trade.
Local officials and industry leaders discussed the transformation of Port Saint John into a major trade hub at Thursday’s 2025 Port Days event.
Their proposals aim to boost cargo volumes, attract larger ships and generate new economic opportunities for the region.
The event also marked the groundbreaking of Americold’s new cold storage facility – a project set to boost the province’s refrigerated supply chain.
A new vision for the port
Craig Bell Estabrooks, CEO of Port Saint John, announced that from 2020 to 2025, the port will have received over $250 million from government partners.
Estabrooks added that private investors have also contributed hundreds of millions to help modernize the port.
“We dreamed big, and today the terminal is complete,” he said.
New intermodal rail systems and modern cranes now enable the facility to handle larger ships.
Premier Susan Holt added, “New Brunswick is broadening its trade focus to create more good-paying jobs for our community.”
Their remarks point to significant economic opportunities for Saint John.
Digital upgrades and sustainability at Hapag‑Lloyd
Svenja Clausen, a 21‑year veteran with Hapag‑Lloyd, noted that the company is investing heavily in digital technologies to enhance customer service.
She explained that these investments focus on speeding up operations and ensuring visibility along the entire supply chain.
“We are investing in digital tools so our customers get fast, reliable service,” she said.
Clausen outlined further initiatives such as the rollout of smart container tracking and the launch of nine quality promises via an online “navigator” that displays shipment performance data.
She also discussed Gemini—a joint initiative with ONE—that focuses on:
• Achieving 90 per cent schedule reliability within four months
• Operating 57 services with 340 vessels
• Reducing carbon dioxide emissions by shortening service times and cutting port calls
Additional measures include using steel floors with special coatings in containers and adopting biofuels and LNG-powered vessels.
Hapag‑Lloyd has ordered 24 LNG vessels for 2024–2025 and another 24 for 2027–2029, intending to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by one-third by 2030 and reach net zero by 2045.
Clausen noted that in Saint John, the company’s operations have grown from a basic import service to three full services, positioning the port as a strategic gateway to both Canada and the US Midwest.
Expanding capacity and creating jobs at DP World Canada
Douglas Smith, CEO of DP World Canada, emphasized that the port’s expansion efforts are aimed at an ambitious milestone.
“We are investing heavily in modernizing our operations and building a skilled workforce to achieve one million TEUs annually,” he said.
This target would mark a record achievement for Atlantic Canada and further solidify Port Saint John’s status as a key global trade gateway.
Smith said container traffic has increased from 57,402 TEUs in 2017 to a target of 225,000 TEUs this year—a 300 per cent rise.
“Our investments in infrastructure and modern technology show our commitment to competing globally,” he stated.
DP World holds a six-decade agreement with the port.
The company is installing high-capacity cranes and updating its systems with a new vehicle booking process and automated gate technology.
These improvements have reduced container dwell times to about three days.
Smith also explained that DP World is working with ILA Local 273 to add more than 100 union jobs.
He mentioned plans to expand into areas such as potash, pulp handling, and raw ore transfers using 24/7 floating barge solutions.
He also stated that the port is diversifying its trade with partners in Europe and South America.
In addition, the company is strengthening the local food supply chain through collaborations with Americold, McCain, and Cavendish.
Bridging heritage with future trade at CPKC
Jonathan Wahba, Senior Vice President of CPKC, tied the port’s modern advances to its long history.
“In the 1880s, Canadian Pacific used Saint John as a vital link to connect markets,” Wahba said.
“The route from here to centres like Montreal and Toronto remains the best available.”
Wahba recounted a March 2020 lunch in Los Angeles with his CEO, Keith Creel, and Hapag‑Lloyd CEO Ralph Hobin Johnson.
That meeting led to an agreement for CPKC to gift a locomotive if Hapag‑Lloyd chose Saint John as a port of call.
The gesture demonstrated a strong commitment among the partners.
Since reentering the market in 2020 with the purchase of a local, funding by DP World, CPKC, JDI, and all levels of government has exceeded $500 million.
In that period, CPKC’s market share increased from 0 per cent in 2020 to 95 per cent in 2025.
Wahba also announced the groundbreaking of a new cold storage facility by Americold.
The nine-figure project is designed to improve refrigerated warehousing, lower transport costs, and enhance Canada’s food supply chain by reducing reliance on U.S.-based routes.
Thursday’s presentations made it clear that Port Saint John is set to handle more cargo and larger vessels while generating new economic opportunities.
With significant investments, upgraded digital tools and strong public–private partnerships, the port is well-positioned to strengthen trade links and drive further economic growth in the region and beyond.