DP World Vancouver, the Centerm container terminal services contractor undertook a $150 million redevelopment project in 2007 that has doubled Centerm’s throughput capacity to 780,000 containers annually.
As part of the Centerm redevelopment, the Site Service Facility (SSF) that houses engineering and maintenance operations related to container and break bulk handling equipment such as top-pick loaders, rubber tired gantries, tractor/bomb-carts, crane spreaders, forklifts and general facility maintenance equipment. In addition the SSF includes support functions such as the welding, painting and locker shops, lunchrooms, locker rooms, offices, meeting and training facilities was redesigned.
Due to site constraints imposed by existing buried services, contaminated soils, structural pile driving requirements and an already crowded maintenance site that must remain in operation 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the Site Services Facility was designed to the tightest possible footprint.
Centerm is also located in close proximity to the downtown urban core so the visual impact of the site services facility was of great concern to the Vancouver City Planning Department.