THE Port of Vancouver believes that global warming will open the Northwest Passage to shipping through the Canadian arctic in summer from which the Canadian west coast port will benefit.

Citing information in Vancouver's Port 2050 report, London's International Freighting Weekly, said the port plans to leverage future business priorities, drive new initiatives and transform every aspect of the Port Metro Vancouver's operations.

In general, if global warming proved to be true - temperatures have declined in the last 10 years - it would benefit Canada, and Russia too, transforming vast tracts of "moose pasture" into arable land.

Through "leadership in the creation of a zero-carbon supply chain", Port Metro Vancouver will become a "global winner", said the report, which covers alternative scenarios of the world's and its own future and that sustainability leadership will lead to considerable long-term growth and prosperity.

The long-term strategy is based on "The Great Transition", a scenario that involves a rapid transition to a post-industrial/post-carbon model between 2030 and 2050.

This transition predicts that marine transport and related industries will thrive, "since shipping and the supply chain through Vancouver are more carbon-friendly than other gateways and modalities".

Short-term, the port expects prosperity for the port from 2010-2030, despite global economic troubles, based on its ability to grow capacity and build global relationships.