New study highlights role of international shipping in Canada’s trade

A new study commissioned by the Shipping Federation of Canada provides the most comprehensive assessment to date of the role international shipping plays in moving Canadian trade.

Conducted by CPCS, the study examines the volume and value of goods transported through Canadian ports and waterways from an international shipping perspective, addressing a longstanding gap in national trade and transportation data.

The Federation said information on international shipping activity has traditionally been fragmented across multiple sources, with varying collection methods, metrics and assumptions. To address this, CPCS developed a customized dataset by combining data from sources including the United Nations, Statistics Canada, the U.S. Census Bureau, Canadian port authorities and other industry data providers.

The study is intended to provide a clearer picture of how international vessels support Canadian importers, exporters and the broader economy.

“International shipping is a critical component of Canada’s trade infrastructure, yet its contribution has not always been fully captured through existing data sources,” the federation said announcing the study.

The report’s findings are expected to offer new insight into the scale and importance of maritime transportation within Canada’s supply chain network.