Freightwaves: This Canadian port saw containers increase 175% in four years

Canada’s Port Saint John saw infrastructure investment pay off handsomely in 2025.

The eastern hub in New Brunswick province said container volumes increased by 29.4% between 2024 and 2025, from 184,879 twenty foot equivalent units (TEUs) to 239,364 TEUs.

Saint John’s box gains outpaced the Port of Prince Rupert, 14%, Port of Montreal, 3.6%, and Vancouver, 6% (H1).

The port credited completion of $247 million in public-private investments at its west side terminal operated by DP World.  

Container volume at Saint John, long known as a center for petrochemical and other bulk cargoes, has risen 175.2% from 86,949 TEUs in 2021.

“2025 was a defining year for our container sector,” said Craig Bell Estabrooks, president and chief executive of Port Saint John, in a release. “The collective efforts of DP World, supply chain and marine partners, and waterfront workers continue to make Port Saint John a port of choice for global trade.”

Port Saint John counts Hapag-Lloyd, Maersk (MAERSK-B.CO), Mediterranean Shipping Co., and CMA CGM as container transportation providers. NB Southern Railway serves the port with connections to CPKC (NYSE: CP), CN (NYSE: CNI), and CSX (NASDAQ: CSX).