Ausenco carried out a port site selection study, at a conceptual level, for a potential new cruise ship terminal at two site locations in the Greater Vancouver area.
The main objective of the study was to assess the suitability of sites along the Fraser River for the construction of a new single berth cruise terminal. The terminal would accommodate Genesis Class cruise ships, allowing future passenger traffic growth and eliminating vessel size limitations due to the air draft capacity under the Lions Gate Bridge.
The study included the development of conceptual design criteria, assessment of existing road infrastructure issues, development of conceptual layouts for potential sites and order of magnitude cost estimates for each potential site.
Navigational issues along the Fraser River were identified and discussed with the Fraser River Pilots. Our navigational expert reviewed the river’s characteristics in detail with regards to tides, current navigable width, pilotage, anchorage, submerged crossing (i.e. the George Massey Tunnel), air draft and the result of silt build up in times of freshet, to confirm viability of the proposed terminal.