Canada invests in connecting the Port of Saint John

Port Saint John in New Brunswick will benefit from C$463m in federal, provincial and private funds to improve rail, road and marine infrastructure to move cargo through the port to hinterland markets. No funding has been announced for two other proposed port projects in close proximity this point, however.

Port Saint John is the emerging player in Canada’s container port sector. DP World started operating the container terminal at Saint John in 2017 and it now has two berths and five STS cranes, taking its total capacity to over 800,000 TEU. Throughput has risen from 10,000 TEU in 2022 to almost 240,000 TEU in 2025.

The port has announced a series of investments that it says “marks the next chapter in Port Saint John’s comeback”. Through its Trade Diversification Corridors Fund the Canadian federal government is contributing up to C$254m while the New Brunswick provincial government is contributing C$116.5m. Private partners include J.D. Irving, which owns the New Brunswick Southern Railway (NBSR) connecting the port to Class I railroads.

J.D. Irving is investing C$72.5m to lead shoreline stabilisation work at the Bayshore Rail Terminal and replace 103 kilometres of track with new, continuously welded rail. The work will enable mainline rail speed to increase to 64 km/h, reducing freight transit times between Port Saint John and Class 1 railways, increasing freight capacity and fluidity to and from the port.

This story was originally published by World Cargo News. Read the full story at World Cargo News →