DEAL NB ANALYSIS
Port Saint John Container Growth: The 2025 Record and 2026 Gateway Outlook
A focused analysis of Port Saint John's record 2025 container growth, modernized terminal, rail reach and emerging national-gateway role.
Port Saint John handled 239,364 container TEUs in 2025, a 29.4% increase from 2024 and 175.2% above its 2021 volume. The record coincided with completion of a $247-million modernization of the West Side container terminal, strengthening the port’s case as an Atlantic gateway for New Brunswick, central Canada and international trade.
This page examines the container result and its 2026 implications. For a wider view of roads, rail, airports and both New Brunswick ports, see the site’s trade and logistics guide.
Port Saint John container traffic: the key numbers
| Indicator | Published result |
|---|---|
| 2025 container volume | 239,364 TEUs |
| 2024 container volume | 184,879 TEUs |
| Year-over-year growth | 29.4% |
| 2021 container volume | 86,949 TEUs |
| Growth from 2021 to 2025 | 175.2% |
| West Side modernization | $247 million completed |
| Rail access | Connections to CPKC, CN and CSX through NB Southern Railway |
| Port’s 2026 impact estimate | $125.7 million in provincial GDP and 928 jobs for the container sector |
The 29.4% increase is more than a rebound
Container volumes increased from 184,879 TEUs in 2024 to 239,364 in 2025. Looking back to 86,949 TEUs in 2021 shows that the change is not confined to one year. Shipping services, terminal operations, rail reach and infrastructure have combined to produce a multi-year expansion.
A TEU is a standard measure equal to one twenty-foot container. It measures throughput, not the value or origin of the goods inside. Even so, sustained TEU growth is a useful signal of carrier confidence and gateway utilization.
The $247-million modernization created room to grow
The West Side project expanded and modernized the container terminal through shared investment by the federal government, the Province of New Brunswick and Port Saint John. DP World operates the terminal and has continued to invest in operations and intermodal capacity.
Infrastructure alone does not create cargo. It must be paired with reliable vessel service, efficient terminal handling, competitive rail connections and available inland demand. The 2025 result suggests those components are beginning to reinforce one another.
Three Class I rail connections broaden the inland market
Port Saint John connects through NB Southern Railway to CPKC, CN and CSX. This rail optionality is significant because a port’s effective market extends far beyond its waterfront. Importers and exporters compare total transit time, reliability, capacity and cost from origin to final destination.
In January 2026, port reporting said Ontario exports moving through Saint John increased by 153% from 2024 to 2025. The figure illustrates how the gateway is expanding its relevance beyond New Brunswick and competing for cargo linked to Canada’s largest provincial economy.
Global carrier links support market diversification
The port identifies global links involving Hapag-Lloyd, Maersk, MSC and CMA CGM. Carrier choice and sailing connectivity can give Canadian shippers more routing options at a time when supply-chain resilience and trade diversification are national priorities.
No route is immune to global disruption. Vessel schedules, trade demand, rail performance, weather and geopolitics affect cargo flows. The strategic value comes from adding credible options to the Canadian network rather than claiming a single gateway can eliminate risk.
Cold-chain investment could deepen the food corridor
Americold announced plans for a cold-storage facility at Port Saint John in partnership with DP World and CPKC. The concept is designed to support temperature-controlled food flows between central and eastern Canada and markets in Europe, South America and the Asia-Pacific region.
If delivered as planned, cold storage would add value beyond handling containers. It could support food and seafood exports, import distribution and integrated logistics services, linking the port’s growth to New Brunswick’s broader agri-food economy.
The port’s 2026 economic outlook is positive
At completion of the modernization, Port Saint John stated that, with additional growth projected in 2026, the container sector was expected to contribute $125.7 million to New Brunswick GDP and support 928 jobs. These figures are port estimates rather than observed 2026 results, but they show the scale of the expected economic linkage.
The impact reaches terminal and railway employment, trucking, warehousing, equipment, maintenance, customs, professional services and the businesses whose products move through the gateway.
What to watch next
- Whether container volumes maintain growth after the 2025 step-change.
- Service frequency and schedule reliability across ocean and rail partners.
- Progress on cold-chain and logistics developments.
- The share of cargo connected to New Brunswick versus inland markets.
- Environmental performance as vessel, terminal and landside activity grows.
- New trade-corridor investments that improve first- and last-mile capacity.
For related context, read the Saint John economic profile, the New Brunswick export analysis and the agri-food and seafood outlook.
Official and operator sources
- Port Saint John, 2025 container throughput, February 26, 2026
- Port Saint John, 2025 Annual Report release
- Port Saint John, completion of the $247-million modernization
- DP World, Port Saint John volume growth
- Port Saint John, Americold cold-storage announcement
Reviewed August 29, 2026. TEU figures are reported throughput; economic-impact figures are forward-looking port estimates. This article provides general logistics information, not shipping, customs or investment advice.
This analysis uses dated public information from the sources listed. Figures may be revised and do not constitute legal, financial or investment advice.
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