Preferred proponent chosen for Roberts Bank Terminal work

Key Takeaways:

• The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority has chosen the TerraMarine consortium—led by heavyweights FlatironDragados, Van Oord, and Aecon—to build the landmass and wharf for Roberts Bank Terminal 2.
• The mega-project will expand West Coast container terminal capacity by more than 30%, unlocking an estimated $100 billion in new annual trade value.
• The project will utilize a progressive design-build blueprint with a target price model to shield the public sector from schedule overruns and volatile material costs.

The Whole Story:

The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority has selected the TerraMarine consortium as the preferred proponent for the heavy marine landmass and wharf construction package of the Roberts Bank Terminal 2 Project. The selection marks a primary milestone for the Pacific trade gateway, directly supporting the federal mandate issued by Prime Minister Mark Carney to double Canadian exports to non-U.S. markets over the next decade.

The prime construction consortium brings together an array of dominant domestic and international civil engineering corporations, backed by an elite design consultancy tier:

• Consortium Builders: FlatironDragados, Van Oord Canada Ltd., Aecon Constructors (a division of Aecon Construction Group Inc.), and Carlson Construction Group Inc.
• Lead Design & Sub-Consultants: Arcadis Professional Services Canada Inc., Stantec Consulting Ltd., TYPSA Inc., and Tetra Tech Canada Inc.

“As we advance the Roberts Bank Terminal 2 Project, selecting a highly qualified construction partner is a major step forward. Canada has set a bold target to double non-U.S. exports in the next decade, and Roberts Bank Terminal 2 is critical to achieving that goal,” Peter Xotta, President and CEO of the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority. “Built by Canadians, for Canadians, the project will combine strong Canadian construction expertise with global experience, use Canadian products, and create tens of thousands of jobs.”

The megaproject will establish a whole new three-berth marine container terminal at Roberts Bank in Delta, B.C., expanding overall container capacity across Canada’s west coast by more than 30%. Once operational, the terminal is projected to unlock more than $100 billion in annual trade capacity, inject over $3 billion directly into Canada’s annual GDP, and sustain tens of thousands of long-term supply chain jobs.

The extensive construction scope assigned to TerraMarine involves executing a massive deep-water land reclamation project to create the marine landmass, building a heavy-load structural wharf and specialized shipping berth pocket, widening the existing vehicle causeway, expanding the regional tug basin, and executing targeted environmental offsetting initiatives. To manage structural risk and cost inflation, the port authority utilized a progressive design-build procurement track governed by a collaborative target price financial model.

The port authority and TerraMarine will advance immediate construction layout plans, logistical schedules, and early works sub-contracting frameworks, including targeted procurement allocations reserved for local Indigenous-owned businesses. The port authority has already secured major federal environmental approvals and finalized comprehensive mutual benefits agreements with 27 local First Nations. Financial close, early site preparation, and mobilization are scheduled to occur in late 2027, with active water-based land reclamation commencing in 2028. Terminal operations are expected to officially begin in the mid-2030s.