Record Oil Tankers Arrive in Vancouver Amid Pipeline Expansion

The Trans Mountain pipeline expansion has led to a record number of oil tanker arrivals in Vancouver's Burrard Inlet, according to data from SFU professor emeritus David Huntley.

In July, there were 31 tanker arrivals, the first month since the pipeline expansion opened in mid-2024 that exceeded 30 arrivals. The majority of heavy crude oil is being sent to China and South Korea, followed by the U.S.

Huntley uses marine traffic data to track where the ships go after loading at the Westridge Marine Terminal in Burnaby. Between May 2024 and April 2026, there were 556 oil tankers that loaded at Westridge, with 65% going to Asia (mostly China) and 35% going to the U.S.