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North America is rich in lumber that is in high demand in Asia

Connect to the powerful CN rail network and capitalize on a wealth of import possibilities.

Canadian producers are ready to answer the growing demand for lumber, forest products, logs, panels, pulp, recovered paper and wood in Asia. As the largest carrier of forest products in North America, CN can offer you seamless lumber shipping solutions.

Western Canada has some of the largest fiber source areas in North America and CN boasts superior rail access to lumber producers in these areas. We can offer you a complete transportation solution thanks to our high-capacity 128,700-kg rail line and our network of container stuffing facilities.

CN-served lumber producers, container stuffing facilities and key export gateways
CN can ship lumber from North America to China

We have the equipment to transport lumber

Our specialized railcars protect lumber shipments as they speed along our North American route network.

  • Bulkhead flat cars can carry loads of 73 to 88 tonnes.
  • Centerbeam cars, designed for the lumber industry, are easy to load and unload and keep your lumber products safe.

Our containers are ideal for doublestack intermodal shipping on our high-capacity rail line and for trans-Pacific shipping to serve our import/export customers.

  • 40-foot containers
  • 20-foot marine containers have a usable cube of 1,169 cubic feet.

We connect container stuffing facilities to export terminals

CN has access to key lumber container stuffing facilities, such as Westran Intermodal Ltd. and RoadStar Transport Company Ltd., that facilitate your lumber shipment via the Port of Vancouver.

CN is scheduled to start operation of the lumber container export facility at its Thornton Yard in Surrey, B.C., in the fall of 2011. It will have an initial footprint of eight acres and throughput capacity of approximately 10,000 containers per year, with room to grow up to 20 acres. The facility, supplied with rail cars of lumber originating in communities in the British Columbia (B.C.) Interior, will make it easier to transport lumber to export markets in China.

CN has also announced that it plans to increase lumber transload capacity at its Prince George Distribution Centre to more than 30,000 containers annually. The facility was built in 2007 to support Port of Prince Rupert export opportunities. Read more

We can deliver your lumber faster

The transit times to Asia offer you a competitive shipping advantage. Benefit from predictable, reliable transit cycle times and manage your imports with confidence.

Vessel transit times
Canada's west coast - Asia
Prince Rupert to Tianjin 15 days
Prince Rupert to Shanghai 14 days
Prince Rupert to Qingdao 14 days
Prince Rupert to Guangzhou 17 days
Prince Rupert to Hong Kong 16 days
Vancouver to Tianjin 16 days
Vancouver to Shanghai 16 days
Vancouver to Qingdao 16 days
Vancouver to Guangzhou 18 days
Vancouver to Hong Kong 18 days

Transit times based on bulk vessel speed of 13.5 knots

Port of Prince Rupert - North America's Northwest Gateway

The Port of Prince Rupert is the site of a high-capacity container gateway. Phase 1, now completed, has an estimated capacity of 500,000 TEUs, with up to two million-TEU capacity in the future.

Prince George Distribution Centre

We will operate a container transload facility and an intermodal yard in Prince George to handle a full range of forest products, including lumber, panels, wood pulp and paper products outbound to Asia. Prince George is CN's central operating hub for northern B.C. Its proximity to originating mills makes it a strategic location for containerizing forest products for shipment via Prince Rupert.

Key features of Prince George Distribution Centre:

  • 84,000 square foot warehouse
  • 10 acres of outside storage
  • Operates 7 days per week

Contact the China team today

CN WorldWide provides an extension of CN's services. Contact our team of experts to find out how we can help connect you to a wealth of import and export opportunities. CN WorldWide has offices in China in Shanghai, Shenzhen, Tianjin, Qingdao, and Beijing, as well as in South America.

Call 1-888-269-9605 today or send an email.

We have the power to deliver.