Port, railway team up on supply chain collaboration pact
June 7, 2010
Port Metro Vancouver and CN have announced a supply chain collaboration agreement. The accord is expected to “drive further efficiencies at the port and recognize the importance of balanced accountability,” the port and CN said in a release.
The agreement sets the framework for the port, CN and port stakeholders to develop mechanisms to define, measure, monitor and evaluate the performance of each participant at the port against established benchmarks. It also establishes processes to communicate on service-related matters and resolve disputes among CN, the port and port supply chain participants on a commercial basis.
“I am pleased that we were able to work collaboratively with CN on this initiative,” said Robin Silvester, Port Metro Vancouver’s president and CEO. “The agreement will help align port stakeholders’ interests and ensure that each party is accountable for the optimal performance of the Vancouver gateway.”
Claude Mongeau, CN’s president and CEO, said the railway is “encouraged that CN and Port Metro Vancouver reached this innovative pact through commercial negotiation. The agreement will focus stakeholders on working together to achieve continuous improvement in supply chain performance at the port.”
Port Metro Vancouver and CN said in the release that they believe supply chain collaboration is the best way to help increase Canada’s commerce with the Asia-Pacific region, boost the Vancouver’s gateway’s share of Asian containerized imports to North America, and improve gateway competitiveness for Canadian and North American exports.