New sufferance warehouse in Hamilton approved to ease port congestion

The federal government has approved in principle a new sufferance warehouse at the Port of Hamilton, aiming to improve the flow of goods and reduce congestion at Canada’s ports of entry.

The announcement was made by Adam van Koeverden on behalf of Gary Anandasangaree, with the facility to be licensed by the Canada Border Services Agency.

“The licensing of this new sufferance warehouse strengthens our border operations while supporting Canada’s trade goals,” said Erin O’Gorman, president, Canada Border Services Agency. “By expanding secure infrastructure at key points in the supply chain, we’re helping Canadian businesses access more markets and move goods safely and efficiently.”

Sufferance warehouses are privately owned facilities authorized for the short-term storage and examination of imported goods before they are released into the domestic supply chain.

The new facility, to be located at Pier 18 and operated by Hamilton Container Terminal Inc, is expected to provide additional space for border services officers to inspect goods, helping alleviate bottlenecks at key entry points.

“CBSA’s approval in principle represents a major milestone in advancing the new rail terminal at the Port of Hamilton,” said Ian Hamilton, president and CEO, HOPA Ports. “Backed by HOPA’s investment in rail infrastructure at Pier 18, this development supports an import/export operation with the capacity to handle more than 300,000 containers annually; strengthening supply chains, reducing costs and emissions and delivering lasting benefits for Hamilton, the region and the broader economy.”

The project is being developed in partnership with HOPA Ports, which has invested in rail infrastructure at the site to support container movement.

The federal government says the project is part of broader efforts to strengthen supply chains, support trade diversification and improve the efficiency of border operations.