Did you know Richmond has been home to one of two main terminals for automobiles imported from Asia for the Canadian market?
This will change soon when the Port of Vancouver finishes consolidating the two terminals along the Fraser River.
The Richmond Auto Terminal, formerly known as Fraser Wharves, lies at the foot of No. 6 Road south of the Riverport sports and entertainment complex.
Earlier this year, the Friends of Richmond Archives posted a photo of Fraser Wharves taken by photographer George McNutt back in 1977.
The photo shows a docked ship, rail cars loaded with new vehicles and more imported automobiles along the Fraser River.
"Across the No. 6 Road Slough a sand and gravel handling facility is located and Deas Island can be seen across the river," the post added.
According to the Port of Vancouver, the Richmond and Annacis terminals receive "nearly 100 per cent of all Asian-manufactured imports destined for the Canadian market and serve more than a dozen of the world’s top auto manufacturers."
The ports are operated by Wallenius Wilhelmsen Solutions (WWS) Vehicle Services Canada Ltd. and handle automobiles from manufacturers including General Motors Daewoo, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru, Suzuki and Toyota.
However, the Richmond terminal will be repurposed later this year for other port-related businesses following the completion of the Annacis Auto Terminal Optimization Project.
The project by the port authority and Wallenius Wilhelmsen aims to consolidate the two auto terminals into one on Annacis Island to accommodate the growth in demand for auto imports.
The terminals are operating at maximum capacity and modifications are necessary, according to the Port of Vancouver.
The project was submitted for federal funding in 2019 and construction began in the fall of 2022. The project is expected to be completed this summer.
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